Passion and Aspirations
by Sapphirina
Summary: Midori knows that she may be the most conceited 3rd Seat in the entire Soul Society but that fact does not bug her as much as her past or her feelings for Hisagi Shuuhei. And for a girl like her, that truly sucks. ShuuheixOC
1. Chapter 1: Onodono

**A/N: I never written a BLEACH fanfic before so bear with me here. I have two other fics I should be focusing on but I had this idea for months and after I watched BLEACH tonight, I feel like putting it up. I hope it's not bad and pretty solid. I'll put the following once:**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own BLEACH, its characters, or anything associated with it. As you know, all that is own by Tite Kubo. But I do own my original character.**

**CHAPTER 1—Ono-dono:**

Yamamoto leaned on his staff, staring at the other taichous and their second-in-commands through his heavy eyebrows. He nodded to himself. They were all present for once. This was good for he had important news to relay to them. Hopefully, there would be no interruptions. He sighed. "Thanks to Kuchiki-taichou and Abarai-fukutaichou, the traitor Kuchiki Rukia has been apprehended. Her crime is treason. She has given her shinigami powers to a mere human."

There was a slight murmur among the gathered shinigami. Yamamoto waited before holding his hand up. They quieted down. He continued.

"The execution will be in—!"

There was a ruckus outside. Complaints of guards from his squad penetrated through the door. He had told them stand outside incase anyone tried to enter. Yamamoto decided to ignore the noise, hoping that they could deal with it.

"The execution will be in-!"

The door slammed open in the middle of his statement.

"Who dare interrupts this meeting?"

A woman stood in the door way, out of breath. Apparently, she had been running the whole way here. She started to make her way in, her arms swinging at her sides. "Third seat of Squad Ten, Ono Midori. I need a word with my taichou."

Toushirou stared at the blonde female. _Out of all the times. _"Do you think this is an appropriate time, Ono?"

The girl quirked an eyebrow. "Was that an honest question, Hitsugaya?"

"It's Hitsugaya-taicho!"

Yamamoto interrupted. "Leave now before you are punish for your insubordination."

"But—!" Midori's brown eyes made contact with the old man. Suddenly she was under extreme amounts of spiritual pressure. _Is this guy for real?_ She thought, finding that she was incapable of movement._ Just by mere eye contact? Am I the only one that feels it? _Suddenly, a hand came and rested on her shoulder. Midori looked up and saw Kyouraku Shunsui of Squad Eight.

Kyouraku grinned. "I'll escort Ono-dono out of here."

Soi Fong folded her arms. "Surely the girl has legs. She could walk her own self out."

Kyouraku waved the fact aside. "No need to worry. Nanao can fill me in later on what I miss." Kyouraku's grip became firm as he led Midori out the door. "Come on." He eyed the unconscious guards on the floor on their way out. _I hope they get up before Old Man Yamamoto sees them, _he thought as he closed the door.

"One of these days you're going to get into serious trouble," Kyouraku said, grasping the brim of his hat and bringing it lower. "And I won't be able to get you out of it."

Midori sighed. "I know, Kyouraku. But once I'm a captain—!"

Kyouraku chuckled at her foolish aspiration. "How's that going to happen? There are only three ways to become a captain. You can take a series of tests and as everyone knows, you hate any type of test and prefer doing things spontaneously. So that leads to your second option: to kill a captain with over 200 witnesses. I'll admit that you are stronger than most of the lieutenants but no way in hell can you defeat a captain. So that leaves only one choice: six captains' nominations and four agreeing. And as far as I'm concern," he added with a smirk, "they all practically can't stand your arrogance."

Midori twitched at the reminder. Did he have to say everything flat out? He could have been easier on the news, not squashing her only goal in this place. It was the only thing that drove her in the Gotei 13; to become a captain and rub it in the others' faces.

Midori stretched her arms above her head and shrugged off the numbing fact. "You could be wrong though. You can't be sure how everything will turn out."

Kyouraku patted the blonde on the head and walked his separate way. "I can be sure that you and your captain's conversation won't be well."

Midori huffed at the idea. _I forgot about that._

* * *

"As your taichou, you should give me respect!" Hitsugaya stated, reprimanding his third seat. The meeting was over and he had returned to his office to do paperwork. However, not before he had a good word with his third seat. Midori was sitting across from him, pushing back on her chair. Toushirou continued, ignoring that she had almost fallen backward.

"And not only me, but every superior officer in the Gotei 13! You're the walking disgrace of Squad Ten! Are you even listening?"

Midori looked up at the white-haired shorty. "Hai." Her voice so full of disinterest, she turned away and her brown eyes returned to the floor. Her fingers went to her hair and twirled the ends of a section that she had dyed green. She had done it when she had been put on Squad Seven. That had been a long time ago. It was only last year when they had forced her to work under Hitsugaya. How miserable that transfer had been.

Midori looked up, seeing the look on her taichou's face. "Are you done already?"

Toushirou smacked his forehead. "Why did I end up with you on my squad? You use to be on Squad Seven with Komamura. You followed his orders."

She stopped rocking the chair. "Only because he wasn't some kid."

"What?"

The door opened and Matsumoto Rangiku entered the room. "Hello, Taichou. Hm?" Her blue eyes settled on the blonde woman in front of her. "I swear, every time I come to this office, you're always in here for something Midori-chan."

Taking that as her cue, the blonde stood and walked passed Rangiku. "I'm stepping out for a while."

Hitsugaya stood. "I'm not done talking to you, Ono! Ono!"

Midori slammed the door and sprinted down the hallway. The moment she was outside, she flashstepped. She didn't know where she was going but she wanted to get away and clear her head, hopefully seeing the long term consequences of her actions somewhere down the line.

She looked around and realized that she was on the roof of Squad Eleven headquarters. She hadn't been here for a while. She never had a reason to after she left the squad and got sent to Kyouraku's. That, too, was so long ago. She smiled at the memory. Kyouraku was the only the captain that tried to understand her and that was why she probably gave him the most respect out of all the taichous. He was also one of the few majority who tried to accomplish the feat. With that thought, her mind went to Hisagi. He was the first, although it wasn't right away. She never was on good terms with people right away.

* * *

-DREAM-

"You can't talk to her like that!"

Midori found herself yelling. Not too long ago, a sixth-year student bumped into her friend, Aya. He had yelled at her as if _she _had walked into him. Sure, Aya looked frail and weak and her vision wasn't that great and was the typical person to get picked on but no one should talk to anyone like that and Aya was not the exception to that rule.

The guy folded his arms, clearly not backing down from the fifth-year. "I don't know who you are, blondie, but mind your damn business! Brats like you should respect your elders."

Midori took a step forward and glared into his dark eyes. "In my opinion, we're equals until the day I kick your ass around."

Aya saw the guy's friends moving in. Eagerly, she tugged on Midori's sleeve. "Midori-chan, you don't have to do this. And . . . maybe . . . he's right. I mean, they are older and we should be more respectful."

The guy smirked, his thick eyebrows rising out of mockery. "That's right," he told Aya before turning toward Midori. "You should listen to your friend here. She knows what she's talking about."

Midori pulled out her sword.

The sixth-year placed his hands on the hilt of his own. "Are you seriously going to fight me?"

Midori could feel a crowd gathering. She couldn't call it quits now. Not with everyone watching so intently. And she did not want to look like a coward in front of everyone, especially after talking all that smack. So she smirked to hide whatever apprehensions she was having. Before she could make a remark, someone interrupted.

"What's going on?" Midori thought it was an instructor but then she saw it was another sixth-year making his way through the crowd. However, judging by the murmurs amongst the crowd and the way it dispersed just to let him through, he had to be very important. Midori's brown eyes landed on the tattoo on his cheek. _'69',_ she thought with a grin. _I wonder what that means._

The guy she had been arguing with gave his attention to the new arrival. "Hisagi, I got this under control. I'm just teaching this fifth-year about giving respect to her superiors. It just taking a while to get through her thick skull."

Midori sighed when Hisagi eyed her unsheathed sword. Figuring that glare was a good enough hint, she slowly put it away. Then she started to walk away, no longer wanting to be bothered with the upperclassmen. "I'll make this easier on myself and just go."

Hisagi narrowed his eyes. "It's against the rules to unsheathe your weapon in the hallways, especially against another student."

Midori stopped. "I don't think it's up to you to tell me the rules here." Before she could fire another comment, Aya grabbed her sleeve and removed the woman from the situation.

"Midori-chan, let's go before you cause a scene," Aya whispered.

* * *

"You can't keep doing this," Aya said softly. The two were outside under one of the sakura trees. It was almost bare now because of the approaching winter. Aya rubbed her arms, feeling a bit chilly. Her dark eyes didn't leave Midori. "One of these days you'll get in trouble and you know I can't help you now as it is."

Midori, whose gaze had been on the overhead tree branches, looked at Aya. "I don't think such a day can happen."

"But supposing you had really gotten into a fight with Hisagi Shuuhei?"

"Who's that?"

"The one with that tattoo."

Midori giggled. "I remember now. With a tattoo like that, I bet he's great in bed."

Aya flushed red. "He's must be a great fighter," she said, with hopes to get her friend's mind out of the gutter. "He's already a seated officer of the Gotei 13. Well, after he graduates this year."

Midori thought for a while before speaking. "Don't worry; he's too by-the-book for me. But that '69' is telling me something else."

Aya groaned. "Why must you be so perverted?"

Midori smirked. It wasn't entirely her fault. She just knew that '69' had other meanings as well, besides being a number between '68' and '70'. And on top of that, the guy who decided to don such a tattoo was good-looking. However, she had to draw the lines and set the boundaries for herself. Hisagi was just another guy she didn't want to bother with. Despite all the love she could offer him, if she ever wanted to, in the end, he would be too good for her.

-END DREAM-

Midori was surprised that she had fallen asleep. She sat up and sighed. _I have to apologize to Hitsugaya when I get back_, she thought randomly as if that dream had made her realized her multiple errors during the course of the day. Her brown eyes looked up at the sky and assumed, based on where the sun was, that it must be around three or four o'clock. A tiny voice reached her ears and she looked down from the roof.

"See, Kenny! Someone is up there! They just moved!"

Before she could even avoid the foreseen confrontation, Zaraki Kenpachi was in front of her, the pink-haired girl on his shoulders.

Yachiru waved. "Hello, Ono-dono!"

Yep, the creator of her nickname had spoken.

Kenpachi grinned. "Coming here to Squad Eleven Headquarters unannounced, you must be running from something."

Midori brushed off the comment and stood. "Actually, I was wondering if you're up for a sparring match."

Kenpachi looked at her as if it was the most idiotic thing he had ever heard. Suddenly he grinned maniacally. "Did you forget your dealing with the taichou of Squad Eleven, Ono?"

Suddenly, Midori could feel his reiatsu pouring out of the man's massive body. _What the hell, _she thought as Yachiru hop off his shoulder and Zaraki unsheathed his zanpakutou.

"I hope you're not going to disappoint me, Midori!" The man roared as he raised his Zanpakutou. "I've been itching for a good fight all day!"

Midori fumbled to unsheathe her own zanpakutou. _What did I get myself into?_

**A/N:** **And that's it. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Shuuhei will appear in the next one. I'll put that chapter up soon. Don't know when though 'cause, as I said, I have two other stories I'm working on (one more than the other). Also, 'dono' is used as a sign of respect but could also refer to an equal. Yachiru's use of 'Ono-dono' came about when Midori (before the start of the story) became a lieutenant. More on that in the future. So till later, I guess.**


	2. Chapter 2: A Little Too Much

**A/N: Here it is. It's been two weeks since I last posted. I wanted to put this one up earlier but I had to study for my SATs and needed to work on the chapter of my other story. At least, I can say, I did not neglect this story. Makes me feel proud. Anyway, this chapter has more Shuuhei-Midori interaction, which will continue to grow over the course of the story.**

**CHAPTER 2—A Little Too Much:**

Midori woke up the next morning, her body aching all over. What a fool she had been for not leaving the fight sooner. Kenpachi had practically requested a fight to _her _death. She had tried to say that she surrendered but the Eleventh Squad Taichou had declared that the battle wouldn't be over until one of them was dead or incapacitated. The unsaid third option was of course run and hide. She was glad that Zaraki Kenpachi could not sense spiritual pressure to save his life.

As she made her way to Squad Ten Headquarters, she saw her fukutaichou talking to Hisagi. At first she wanted to avoid a confrontation but then decided that she had no need to avoid one. If they talked to her, fine; she just would say hello and goodbye. Midori, whether it was out of jealousy or agitation, couldn't stand Matsumoto. And for Hisagi . . . there was no way to describe how she felt about being around him.

Midori forced her legs to move, praying for them not to notice her until she passed them, certain that would guarantee a fast and easy escape. However, Matsumoto turned and stared right at her. _Don't call me_, she thought._ If she calls me, I'll scream and scream and . . ._

"Midori-chan!"

Midori forced a grin and walked over. "Hello, Matsumoto, Hisagi."

Hisagi frowned. "Still lacking respect."

Midori kept her grin despite how badly she wanted to snap at the tattooed man. "It's in my nature."

"Yeah," he muttered. "Along with your arrogance and stupidity."

Midori shot him a glare, not sure of how to respond to that.

Rangiku folded her arms, studying Midori's face. "Hm . . . you look like you're in pain."

Midori forced a chuckle. "Trust me, I am." _Why the hell did she call me over here?_

"So are you coming tonight?" Matsumoto asked.

Midori frowned. "Where?"

"To the bar! Everyone's coming tonight."

Midori raised an eyebrow, not seeing the big deal about it. Usually, during some point in the week, most Soul Reapers go the bar at night to have a drink to relieve their stress. And usually, their 'break' turned into a party. "Who's everyone?" Midori asked, certain that the usual people would be there.

"You know! Me, Hisagi, Yachiru. . ."

Midori sighed. As the list went on, she found more reasons not to go.

But despite those numerous reasons, she found herself at the bar surrounded by those same reasons. Hisagi was a few tables away; Ikkaku was further down but still in view; she spotted the pink-haired lieutenant which meant that Zaraki couldn't be far and would probably confront her about her escape act if he wasn't drunk enough to forget. More of the people she wished would get slain by some monstrous hollow were on all sides of her. Their presence irked her.

_Why am I here?_ Midori asked herself. She was sitting near the counter, swishing the liquor in her shot glass. Over to her left, a small group was gathering near a table around Matsumoto. She could easily hear the woman's laughter. She nodded to herself; that would eventually turn into the wild group. Her brown eyes glanced to her right and saw the much more calmer, reserve drinkers. Ukitake, whom she doubted would take more than a shot, and Kyouraku were over there. Kuchiki and Soi Fong were also in the mix. Maybe she would join them and act sophisticated and mature. A few more drinks and she wouldn't mind being around the uptight Kuchiki and Soi Fong for an hour or so - if the drinks hadn't loosen the two up by then.

Midori took a sip and settled the drink on the counter, her hand never letting go of the glass._ Damn, I must be as cynical as anyone could get. I might as well say I hate everyone in this bar right now._

The door to the pub opened and Aizen walked inside, Ichimaru not far behind him. Her pupils dilated and her lips formed a tight line as her eyes settled on the smirking taichou. The two walked passed her and she already felt her stomach twist in knots. She was about to avert her gaze when Aizen turned around.

"My apologies," Aizen stated. "Good evening, Ono-dono."

"Good evening," her mouth automatically said. She did not bother referring to the guy by his last name; due to some gut feeling, she did not want to disrespect him by refusing to acknowledge his title as 'taichou'. Ichimaru's smirked widened into a grin and her insides twisted and writhed even more. Immediately, Midori swigged her liquor in two large gulps. She turned toward the bartender. "More."

She did not know how often she said that word but by the time she got off the chair, she could hardly stand straight. She waited a while for her world to get into focus before walking. The blonde grabbed onto a random man's shoulder for support. She turned around and saw it was Hisagi. He gave her the funniest of looks and she grinned. "Sorry," she slurred.

Midori continued her path to the taichou of Squad Three. On the way, she picked up a lower-ranked officer's drink and finished it for the guy.

"Hey!" The guy said in protest.

She threw the glass carelessly over her shoulder and soon heard shattering glass. She wondered if she hit someone in the head. That thought vanished when she saw that Ichimaru and Aizen was looking at her. Their fukutaichous, Izuru and Momo, were there as well. Midori placed her hands on the table and looked at them. Finally her brown eyes landed on her target.

"Hello, Ichimaru." Once again, her words were hardly intelligible. She smirked a smirk that matched Ichimaru's. "How about we end this game?"

Izuru frowned. "Ichimaru-taichou, what is she talking about?"

Ichimaru didn't answer. He stared at her hand, waiting for any subtle movements.

Midori leaned closer. "Let's go right now."

He caught the movement he was looking for; her hand had landed on the hilt of her sword and now she was preparing to draw it.

"Remember what happened last time, Ono?" Gin reminded more than asked.

Midori laughed. "I'm not scared of prison."

"Prison? You got off easy. This time, they'll sentence you to death."

Midori wanted to retort but then her hand clasped over her mouth. _Oh no, _she thought as her facial expression changed into one of horror. She turned around and threw up.

* * *

Kyouraku was outside, waiting for Midori to finish vomiting behind the pub. He glanced at her, holding his shot glass. It was already empty and he wanted to get some more rum. However, common courtesy held him rooted to the spot. "Are you done?" His answer came in the form of more vomit.

Midori wiped her mouth with her sleeve. "That was fucking humiliating," she stated, slurring most of her words.

Kyouraku raised his eyebrow, surprised that even in her drunken state, she still retained some judgement. "It's your fault you can't hold your alcohol," he stated, eying the vomit on her kimono.

Midori tried to walk but ended up grabbing the fence for support. However, she pushed off the fence and continued to walk slowly.

Kyouraku heard the noise from inside the pub. Seeing that the blonde was walking now, he said, "I would like you to take you to your home but the party is finally in full motion and I heard that there's going to be—!"

"I'm fine, Kyouraku-sama."

_Sama? _He thought, giving the blonde a weird look."Maybe I should walk you home."

"If I wanted you to walk me home, I would ask." Midori leaned against the fence. _It is possible to throw up too much?_

"Yeah. But you're talking crazy talk now." Kyouraku looked up and saw Hisagi exiting the pub. He raised a hand. "Hey, Hisagi-fukutaichou!"

The tattooed man looked at him before coming over. He then noticed Midori leaning on the fence, her kimono covered in whatever she threw up. He looked back Kyouraku. "You need something, Kyouraku-taichou?"

"Actually," Kyouraku eyed Midori, "I was wondering where you were heading to?"

"Home."

Kyouraku grinned. "Good. Then you can take Midori-chan home. Of course, you might have to carry her because she can hardly walk straight."

Shuuhei looked over the blonde and spotted the vomit on her clothes. "Carry her?" He asked, earning a glare from the woman.

Midori snorted and then opened up her kimono. Kyouraku's eyes widened and Shuuhei blushed, expecting to see more than just cleavage. She removed the kimono, revealing her bandaged chest. Ignoring the two of them, she turned the kimono inside out and folded it into a small package. She looked at the two men. "I'm not stupid."

Kyouraku smirked, almost feeling disappointed. "I know that," he said and started to walk back into the bar. "I'll see you two tomorrow."

Shuuhei looked over at Midori, already feeling the glare of animosity in his direction. He walked over, expecting some sort of retaliation the moment he touched her. When he took hold of her wrist and she did not attack, he relaxed and pulled her arm over his shoulder. "Come on."

He led the woman back to her house in silence.

Shuuhei thought about his old academy days, particularly his final year there. It was that year he had fallen for her. She had been amongst the students who had gotten slain by the hollows. She had been severely wounded, almost dead. If he, Ichimaru, and Aizen hadn't went to check for any survivors, then she would have died from losing too much blood. Before the incident, he had been annoyed with her arrogance. Afterward, that arrogance made Midori herself and worth the trouble. And later, he had asked her out. Their time together at the academy had been wonderful.

Shuuhei glanced at the woman.

Now things were awkward.

"Why are you so quiet?" Midori suddenly asked. The woman did not look at him and instead focused straight ahead. To her, it was easier to talk this way.

Shuuhei raised an eyebrow. " . . . What do you mean?"

"Usually, you would have reprimanded me for my reckless and idiotic actions."

"What's the point? You're too drunk to even realize what you're saying. You even threw up."

"I'd feel better if you'd just yell at me."

Shuuhei gave her a scrutinizing look.

-FLASHBACK-

Her and Shuuhei had been walking around the academy, in the hallways and out on the grounds. Classes were over for the day and they were using this time to hang out. Since the start of the stroll, she had been passing furtive glances in his direction, ones filled of guilt. When Shuuhei caught her, she muttered:

"Sorry."

Shuuhei frowned. "Something's on your mind?"

"Just upset at how badly I fucked up. Now you have those gashes on your face."

Shuuhei touched them without much thought. He felt the scabs underneath his fingertips and he remembered the massive hollow that gave it to him a few weeks ago. He had a feeling that the gashes would eventually turn into scars. "It's not your fault," he told her.

Midori sighed. "I was put on guard duty, remember? I wasn't suppose to be there but still, I was the only survivor of that attack and I should have made the effort to alert you and the other students about the hollows in the area. Not only did you get hurt but two sixth-year students died. And—!"

Shuuhei covered her mouth. "Sometimes you talk too much. Forget about it already."

Midori removed his hand. "You can't tell me when I can talk and when I can't talk. I can decide that on my own, thank you very much."

Shuuhei smirked. "I forgot."

Though she tried to hide at first, Midori smiled. Shuuhei realized that smile was showing more often than her attitude. She was coming out more and this made him happy. But the smile wasn't sufficient for him. He wanted her despite the fact that they only had about four months to try having a relationship, despite the fact that she could be crude, despite the fact that it might not be worth the trouble. All Shuuhei could think about was when would be the right time to ask her out on a date and what kind of date she would want.

"Hey, Shuuhei."

He looked at the blonde. "Hm?"

Midori looked at his tattoo and tapped it, blushing. "I've been wondering—!"

"Ono!"

Shuuhei stopped walking and looked back. There was a brown-haired sixth-year girl standing there with her hands on her hips. Her eyebrows were pointing down and her eyes were in slits. He recognized the student as the girl from his kidou classes. Her name was Nozomi and when she was upset about something, she would confront the offender. And as of right now, Shuuhei was certain that offender stood next to him.

Nozomi stepped forward. "I heard you've been saying stuff about me."

Midori sighed. "I was weeks ago. I guess news travel kind of slow around here."

Nozomi could care less about how long ago it had been."You want to talk so much shit, Ono? Then let's fight and I'll show you your place!"

Shuuhei knew that Nozomi was one who usually resorted to violence to solve everything. And to fuel that last resort would be Midori, who was too vain and full of pride to concede.

Midori looked up at the ceiling and sighed. "I don't have time to fight. I have other important things to be concerned about."

Shuuhei was more surprised than Nozomi. He had expected Midori to charge toward Nozomi and deliver the first blow. That was in her nature. But she had declined, despite the fact that she hated to back down from any challenge. He glanced at the blonde, trying to read her expression. But he couldn't see it at the moment.

Nozomi shook a fist. "Are you that much of a wuss, Ono?"

"No. I'm that busy." Midori turned around and linked her arm in Shuuhei's, leading him down the hallway. Then she had flashed him a grin.

"Come on, Hisagi. I'm willing to treat you to pretzels or something."

-END FLASHBACK-

Shuuhei hadn't realized what had been going on until Izuru pointed out that Midori had changed. Shuuhei realized that it had been true. During that period of time, Midori exhibited more self-control, became more respectful, and was kinder. Then he had sort of asked her out. In those final months before he moved on to the ranks in Squad Nine, he had fallen in love. He waited a whole year for her to join him in the Gotei 13 after his graduation, seeing her on occasion at the academy. Then when she came to the Gotei 13, he had asked her to marry him and she had told him no.

Squad Ten living quarters loomed into view. Shuuhei stopped and wondered how many times she had moved from squad to squad until she was accepted. No other captain, except Kyouraku and Komamura, had the patience to out up with her antics. Toushirou already seemed to be reaching his limits.

"_I've decided I want to change for the better." _She had said those words to him a long time ago and now she was back to her old ways.

"You can let go now," Midori said.

Shuuhei released her arm and she walked away from him. He watched as she moved up the steps with better precision than what she had at the bar and slid open the door. Without a word, she stepped in and closed it behind her.

The fukutaichou sighed. What had he been expecting from her?

* * *

The next morning, Midori was on her way to her taichou's office.

She figured that she might as well save her young captain the trouble of finding her. He must have already heard about what had happened in the bar and she wanted to get the future meeting over with. Afterward, she would have to deal with Kyouraku.

It bothered her that Kyouraku had left her in Shuuhei's care. She wished she had drank more because she still remembered how close she had been to the Squad Nine's fukutaichou. She couldn't tell if she was mad or confused about that fact.

Her brown eyes landed on the ground.

If she had drank a little more than maybe she would have told him everything.

Midori stopped in front of the door before finally opening it. She walked inside and spotted her taichou behind a stack of papers. As usual, she grabbed a chair off the wall and pulled up to the front of the desk. "Hitsugaya."

Toushirou looked up. "I didn't call you here."

"Weren't you going to though? I'm pretty sure you must have heard some complaint about me."

"What's the point? You said you wouldn't listen to me."

Midori raised her eyebrows. "You're giving up already? So what squad is it?"

"What?"

"I"ve been placed on Squads Eleven, then Eight, then Three, then Seven, and last but not least Ten. And to tell you ahead of time, I don't want to place under Kuchiki, Soi Fong, Yamamoto, Tousen, or Aizen. I don't want to be placed on Squad Four either; I need to be able to fight people, not heal them especially those that I want dead. And that Kurotsuchi guy-I don't want to be near him."

Toushirou sighed. "Nothing was said about you moving to a different squad. Yamamoto just said that if your behavior continues, he might do more than just that."

Midori shrugged. "It can't be as bad as being in prison for years."

"What are you talking about?"

Midori smirked. "You don't remember? A long time ago, I was put in there for attempting murder."

Before Toushirou could respond, the door opened and Matsumoto came into the room. "I hope I'm not late!"

Midori chose to stand at this moment. "I'll see you later, Hitsugaya-_taichou_." She walked passed Rangiku without a word, not wanting the fukutaichou to have a reason to tell Toushirou about her moment of embarrassment. Midori did not need Toushirou to mock her.

As she walked around, without somewhere to go, she spotted Shuuhei with his taichou. They were talking to Komamura and Iba of Squad Seven. Midori stared at them, wondering what they were talking about. She had heard that Tousen and Komamura were good friends. But the looks on their faces told her that the conversation was serious rather than friendly. In a matter of a few minutes, Komamura and Tousen took off, leaving Shuuhei and Iba behind. _Must be a meeting_, she thought. _But what for?_

"Sneaking around?"

Midori turned around and smirked. "Abarai. I didn't expect to see you here."

"Why are you so happy?"

"I needed a sparring partner. You're a lieutenant so I'm expecting more from you than those fight-happy eleven squad members."

**A/N: So more of Midori's character and past (which I hope to write about in maybe a few chapters) were revealed. I guess Midori's the kind of person who acts superior but doesn't think so highly of herself. Besides all that, thanks to i love shiro-chan, SweetYuya, and Mahogony Rose for reviewing. I hope that chapter three won't take so long to post. Till later.**


	3. Chapter 3: A Night With Shuuhei

**A/N: I meant to put this chapter up earlier so sorry for the delay. I can proudly say I'm working on Chapter 6, the most drama oriented of the chapters. When you read it, you'll see what I mean. Anyway, this chapter contains a flashback of romance so I hope you enjoy.**

**CHAPTER 3—A Night With Shuuhei:**

Three weeks had passed since the bar incident. Finally something interesting happened in Midori's life again.

"Ryoka?" Midori repeated.

"At the gate," said a lower-ranked officer.

"Since when?"

"Well, they have been fighting the gatekeeper for some time. Now the gate is opening."

Midori took off. Although she did not asked which gate it was, she sensed the direction of the unknown reiatsu. She wondered who the ryoka were. It was a rarity that any would come to the Gotei 13 and successfully get passed one of the gatekeepers. They had to be strong, she assumed right away. Next, she wondered why they would come here in the first place. She assumed that at least one of the ryoka was hardheaded. To challenge the Gotei 13 was only a fool's move.

When Midori arrived at the West Gate, she saw Ichimaru standing in front of it. As the gate was closing, the taichou was waving to the ryoka on the other side. The blonde sighed. Once again, she had missed all the action.

The gate made a loud thud as it closed shut and Ichimaru turned around. He walked toward Midori, who was already giving him a scrutinizing look.

"Came to see the ryoka, Midori?" Ichimaru asked as he walked passed her.

"Well there's nothing to see now," Midori muttered.

Ichimaru touched her face. Instantly, Midori smacked his hand away. The smile never went away; instead, it slightly grew. Midori let out a sound of disgust and quickly turned away, walking off. She wondered why it was so easy for people to get under her skin. Was she that vulnerable, more than she thought she was? Midori shook her head. It could also have been because of her sense of pride. Midori nodded. That was definitely the more plausible of the two.

As she made her way back to Squad Ten Headquarters, someone landed behind her. She turned around and attempted to hit the person with a swing of her arm. However, the person thwarted her attempt. Midori rolled her eyes when she saw it was Shuuhei. "What do you want now?"

Shuuhei shook his head. "Don't act as if I talk to you everyday. I wouldn't be here if Yamamoto hadn't sent me to-!"

Midori cut him off, believing she knew what it was about. "I haven't done anything in the last few weeks. In fact, I've stayed out of trouble. So whatever he wants to accuse me of, tell him I wasn't involved."

"It's nothing like that. Yamamoto wants us to go to the human world. There's a hollow there and he wants us to watch out for it."

Midori frowned. "And how long will this watch last?"

"As long as it needs to be."

Midori suddenly laughed. "Great," she said, her voice thick with sarcasm. "Yamamoto found a way to kill me slowly. So is my funeral ready for tonight?"

"Yeah," Shuuhei said, equally as sarcastic. "I'm going to throw a party just to celebrate."

Midori started walking away, wanting to wallow in her dread alone. "Don't forget a bag of chips. A party is nothing without food."

* * *

Later that night, Midori and Shuuhei were in the human world. The city that had been assigned to was next to a beach and so Midori forced Shuuhei to go. The blonde shinigami lied down on the sand and watched the waves come back and forth. Shuuhei sat down not too far from her. After some time, Midori looked at the young man. "So, did you choose me or did Yamamoto forced you to?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"You know, after you forgot the bag of chips . . ."

"I didn't know you were actually serious after all that sarcasm."

"Doesn't matter. My question: did he or did you?"

"Actually, Aizen-taichou suggested you and Yamamoto only agreed."

"Really?" Midori sat up, surprised by this revelation. She frowned and tried to come up with explanation. But she failed and forced to ask Shuuhei. However, he did not know the answer as well. And with nothing else to add to the topic, the two sat quietly and wait for the hollow to appear.

-FLASHBACk-

"Put me down!" Midori half yelled, half laughed as she pounded on Shuuhei's back.

Shuuhei had Midori hanging over his shoulder, walking through the building. Midori wasn't as light as he would have wished and he felt like putting her down. However, he was certain that she would have ran away and another chase would ensue. He would not allow Midori to skip her kidou classes just because her real teacher wasn't there.

Hisagi supposed he was being somewhat flirtatious, scooping her up the way he had and carrying her in this uncomfortable position, then taking the whole thing as a joke though the situation demanded him to be serious. Just knowing that this agitated yet amused her made his day. Two things for the price of one.

"I'm serious," Midori said. However, the blonde still giggled. For her, this was awkward and she worried that someone would see them like this. She knew it looked weird and wanted to get down immediately but she wanted him to keep carrying her. For starters, he smelled really good. Secondly, she knew he couldn't take this as seriously as he wanted to. Most importantly, Midori thought this reminded her of a fantasy she had of him only, in the dream, he had been leading her to a bed; in reality he was forcing her to go to a class.

"Come on," Midori laughed, kicking her legs. She felt his arm move further down her legs to keep them still.

"So you can run away?" Shuuhei asked, smirking. "You're going to your class. If you're absent again, you'll have to take it over and personally I would like to spend time with you over the vacation."

Shuuhei made his way across the courtyard, a short cut he had thought of. In the courtyard, the cherry blossoms had already died and now their petals covered the grass. It made the courtyard too pink for his liking but he supposed girls would find this place semi-romantic. He wondered if Midori was thinking about that. However, he realized that the girl was probably too tomboyish to care whether the flower petals made the courtyard the perfect place for a date or a make out session.

"So?" Midori laughed, finally becoming submissive. "What's your point, Shuuhei-_sama_?"

"What did you just-!" Shuuhei tripped over a tree root and fell. Midori hit the ground first and Shuuhei fell on top of her.

"Ow." Midori, despite the pain, giggled.

Shuuhei placed his hands on either side of her and pushed himself off the blonde. "Sorry."

Midori smirked. "For tripping or nearly squashing me?"

Shuuhei found himself looking at Midori at a new angle. He had never once looked down at the her this way. He already acknowledged that he wanted her but this position — that would have looked wrong to anyone passing by — made Midori attractive. His blue eyes went to her chest, watching it heave up and down. Quickly, before his mind could run away with perverse ideas, he looked away from her. _Now my hormones want to act up,_ he thought grudgingly to himself.

"Why are blushing so much?" Midori asked, grinning. It was interesting seeing him blush. He looked cuter, she acknowledged. "Is it because of our position? Never been between a woman's legs before?"

He blushed even more. "Don't tell me you really think about this kind of stuff."

"I only said that because I though that was what you were thinking. I mean, you're not even looking at me."

His blue eyes settled on her, glancing over her body. "Happy?"

"I didn't say—!"

He couldn't take it anymore. Shuuhei silenced her with a kiss. After a moment, he pulled away and saw that within her brown eyes was a mixture of confusion and surprise. He stared at her, not sure what to do at this point.

Midori blushed. _He just kissed me. What do I do now? _Midori, feeling nervous, reached out and touched his face. Her fingers traced his scars before her thumb ran over his lips, her heart beat gradually increasing. She gulped as she tried to figure everything out, from her rush of emotions to his rash action. Soon, she brought herself up and Shuuhei met her halfway.

Shuuhei felt her tentative lips press and move against his, revealing how unsure of herself she actually was. _Maybe I'm her first kiss_, he thought as he gently pushed her back onto the flower-petal-covered grass. After a while, Shuuhei kissed Midori a bit more roughly than he intended to; her hands gripped the back of his shirt to counter that roughness. She soon managed to kiss with more confidence, matching his roughness and lust with each pull and nip of the lips. His tongue pressed against her lips and they almost parted instantly. Soon, their tongues battled against one another for dominance, Hisagi's winning in the end. Midori emitted a small moan, her mind unable to comprehend why she liked whatever Hisagi was doing to her so much. It was exciting in a way that fire excited a pyro and there wasn't a part of her wishing for it to end.

He left her mouth and started to plant kisses along her exposed neck. He stopped at the base and teased there tenderly.

"Imagine if someone saw us," Midori whispered, her brown eyes closed, fully enjoying his ministrations. To her, this was so much better than sitting in kidou class all day. But unfortunately, Shuuhei stopped immediately and got off the blonde. Midori opened her eyes and saw Shuuhei extending a hand down toward her.

"Come on," he said. "You need to get to class."

Midori rolled her eyes at his persistance and took his hand. Shuuhei pulled her on her feet and they started to take the long way without much consideration for time. Both of them reflected on the kiss they had just shared. Midori was still in shock that she had kissed him so eagerly. Shuuhei was surprised that she had been a better kisser than he had thought.

Midori remained quiet for a good two minutes before saying, "Are you desperate or something?"

Shuuhei raised an eyebrow. "That's an interesting thing to say."

"Well . . ." Midori looked away. "There are other girls who adore you that are smarter, prettier, and more deserving of you than I am."

"Is this an inferiority complex?"

"No. I'm just stating a fact. You could do a lot better than me."

They reached the door to her classroom. Midori was about to open it when Shuuhei wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back against his body. His face was by hers, cheek to cheek. The contact made the blonde blush uncontrollably. What happened to her getting to class, she wondered. When Shuuhei talked in a low, husky voice, Midori almost died.

"You're the only one I want, Midori. It's up to you if you want me back. "He kissed her on the neck gently. "Do you?"

-END FLASHBACK-

Midori remembered wanting to say no, even though that would be a lie. But then she had been honest and had become upset at herself. She had felt that he had been too good for her. Aya, who had never had a boyfriend, assured her that this wasn't the case. Aya had been the whole reason Midori went through with the first date. And as the months went by, she had forgotten every criticism she had sent at herself for agreeing to be his. Everything had been new to her; everything had been perfect.

"Don't tell me you're sleeping, Ono."

The blonde opened one eye. "I'm not." Midori sat back up and hugged her knees. "That stupid hollow still isn't here yet. Maybe Yamamoto's going senile."

"You always have to say something bad behind someone's back, don't you?"

"I disrespect everyone to their faces. Except Yamamoto—only behind his back. I hate feeling his spiritual pressure. Last time I felt that, I couldn't move; I could hardly breathe. I think he's the only one of us that I fear or am forced to respect."

"Wow," Shuuhei said. "I was expecting you to say something less human."

"The least you could do is remember that I always have a heart, Hisagi," Midori muttered. "It's just harder to reach than most."

Midori glanced at Shuuhei. The fukutaichou was watching the waves now, his blue eyes clouded with his thoughts. Midori could not tell what he was thinking but she had a feeling what it was related to. She shifted closer to him, feeling awkward that the distance between them go from three feet to merely one foot. With one hand, she reached out and touched his well-defined arm. He looked at her and she almost couldn't look him in the eye.

"Do you still hate me, Shuuhei?"

Shuuhei was surprised that she addressed him by his first name. He couldn't recall the last time he had heard it leave her mouth. And then the look in her brown eyes told him that his answer mattered to her, the simple 'yes' or 'no'. As of right now, at that moment, he did not know which to give.

"Why do you want to know?" was all he could manage.

"Because I—!" Midori stopped talking when she heard a scream.

She turned away from him and spotted a small child running toward them. Despite the hot weather, the little girl was wearing winter clothes. That only meant one thing: that the girl was a soul and something was chasing her.

"Help!"

A second later, a monstrous hollow appeared.

Midori stood up, her hand on the hilt of her zanpakutou. "Hisagi."

The fukutaichou stood up. "I know. You're doing the soul burial?"

"Sure."

Shuuhei unsheathe his zanpakutou and charged at the hollow. The hollow growled and swiped at him. However, Shuuhei had years of experience. He stepped on the hollow's claws and jumped up to reach the hollow's mask. The hollow swatted at the shinigami. Its massive hand hit Shuuhei, sending the fukutaichou back into the sand.

The hollow then turned its attention on Midori and the child.

"Watched out!" Shuuhei screamed, trying to get back up.

Midori was about to send the soul away when she heard the shout. She turned around and saw the hollow's bringing its claw down. Quickly, the blonde lifted her zanpakutou and stopped the claw inches above her head. She gritted her teeth, trying to push the claw back. The soul whimpered behind her. "Please don't let it get me," the child said, clutching onto the bottom of Midori's sleeve.

"I won't," Midori muttered, finally pushing the claw away. The hollow swiped at her again. Midori grabbed the child and dodged the blow. Shuuhei came to their aid and slashed the hollow's arm. It cried out in pain. Midori stared at the monstrosity, almost hypnotized by its size and power. She only snapped out of it when Shuuhei landed in front of her.

"The soul burial," he reminded the woman.

"Right." Midori faced the soul. Using the bottom of her hilt, she stamped the soul on its forehead. Soon, the soul disappeared. "It's done, Hisagi . . . Hisagi?"

She turned around and saw why the shinigami was so silent. The hollow was transforming.

Extra arms were sprouting out of the hollow's back, giving it a spider-like appearance. On those extra arms were multiple spikes that looked as if they could be launched at any second. Without warning, its tongue shot through the mouth part of the white mask. Shuuhei and Midori ended up on opposite sides of it. The tongue curved and came toward Midori. Midori jumped up into the air and aimed her hand at it.

"Hadou 31! Shakka—!" The tongue came up and wrapped itself around the blonde, cutting her off. It tightened its hold and Midori couldn't move. Her brown eyes looked at the darkness from which the tongue had shot out of. Just for a second, she thought she could see the hollow's sharp teeth.

"Ono!" Shuuhei, sensing that the hollow was going to devour her, jumped up and cut the tongue off. Midori fell back down and hit the sand with a thud. Not too far away the severed tongue squirmed for a little while before becoming limp. "Are you okay?" He asked, his blue eyes remaining on the hollow.

"I'm just fine," Midori said. She got out. Realizing she was covered in saliva, she shuddered before holding out her zanpakutou. It changed form. The golden guard took the shape of a windmill. The blade itself was straight until it bent one way and then the other, resembling a lightning bolt. The hilt was now wrapped with black ribbon. Automatically a piece of the ribbon unraveled and wrapped itself around Midori's arm.

The third seat pointed the zanpakutou at the hollow before flashstepping.

Shuuhei frowned, certain that she had not given her zanpakutou its command. _She couldn't have . . ._ He watched Midori flashstep her way to the top of the hollow. She was about to ram her weapon through the mask when the hollow fired the spikes on its arm. Midori gasped and pushed off the hollow's head. The spikes narrowly missed the woman and imbedded into the sand.

Shuuhei looked at Midori. "Ono!" She looked in his direction. "Attack from behind! I'll take the front!"

Midori nodded and made her way around the hollow. She treaded lightly without a sound, not wanting to catch its attention. Hisagi said his zanpakutou's command, releasing it. He looked at the third seat and she nodded. The two charged at the same time.

* * *

Later that night, Shuuhei wretched a spike from his shoulder.

He and Midori had defeated the hollow but not without injuries. The moment the spike had been ripped out, blood started to seep into his uniform. He grimaced from the pain, believing he made the wound worse. In a matter of seconds, Midori was next to him, covered in scratches. Sitting down, she removed her already torn kimono, leaving her white under-kimono on. Without telling him, she took his keikogi and yanked it away from his wounded shoulder.

"Hey," he muttered, feeling more pain shot through his body.

"Stop acting like a little boy," Midori muttered as she tore the fabric of her kimono. Quickly, she made a bandage to cover his wound. "You didn't have to jump in front of me. I would have been fine."

"You say that now," he muttered.

Midori supposed she wouldn't have been able to dodge the spikes back then. She had been pinned by one spike already and the hollow had only unleashed more. But Shuuhei had jumped in front of her and had tried to protect her. He had blocked most of the spikes, except for the one that plunged its way into his shoulder. Midori, seeing him injured, had finally freed herself and while the hollow had tried to regenerate its spikes for a second attack, she slew it.

After wrapping it, Midori tied the ends of her kimono together to keep it in place. "That should hold until Unohana-taichou looks at it."

The door to the Seireitei appeared and the two walked through it. The door closed in the cool evening night. They arrived near the West gate, where the ryoka had made their appearances. The two started to walk off in separate directions. Suddenly, Shuuhei stopped. "You want me to walk you home?" It wasn't too out of the way for him.

Midori turned around. "I'm not going home. I'm taking a night stroll."

Shuuhei raised an eyebrow. "At two in the morning?"

The blonde shrugged. "Sure. Why not?"

"Ono."

"What? I can't leave now?"

Shuuhei scratched his head, feeling stupid that he was about to ask this question. "You wouldn't have bankai, would you?"

Midori smirked, surprised that he had picked it up during the battle. She did not want anyone to know about her unfinished bankai. She was still perfecting it and wanted it to be a secret weapon of sorts.

"Of course not, Hisagi. How could I, Ono Midori, a mere third seat, have bankai, something apparently only those of taichou status have obtained?" Then she flashstepped out of the area.

**A/N: And that's concludes this chapter. I plan to delve into Midori's past soon to explain what happened between her and Shuuhei. Also, I hope to explain the events in the next chapter as well. You won't know what I'm talking about until about next week. Anyway, thanks to SweetYuya and i love shiro-chan for their reviews.**


	4. Chapter 4: Encounter

**A/N: It's been a while. I would have put this chap up yesterday (Friday) but I had to go to my aunt's house for a Fourth of July barbeque. It was alright. All I did was read Gossip Girl books because my cousins and brother had the TV and wanted to watch Smackdown vs RAW instead of Pirates of the Carribean . . . but it was alright, I suppose. Anyway, here's a chapter featuring Midori and her bankai. And there's a tiny bit of lemon but nothing heavy. Coud have came out a lot worst.**

**CHAPTER 4—Encounter:**

Midori's stroll was coming to an end.

Usually, on such strolls, she would think about her day and what had happened. She liked reflecting on things. But she couldn't reflect as much as she wanted. All she could do was think about Shuuhei.

Just watching him fight was enough to be a turn on for Midori. The way he moved and fought against the hollow showed off his ability as well as his strength. When she had removed his keikogi to check his wound, she cursed herself for not passing her hand over his well toned chest. She wished that she could have been daring and make a move on him. Sure, she'd deny that it was anything more than a fling but just experiencing his touch would have been enough. Midori thought about how daring she had been in her academy days.

-FLASHBACK-

"Another hickey?" Aya said in disbelief, fiddling with her glasses.

Midori couldn't help but grin at this embarrassing fact. "It's that noticeable?" She asked, taking her hair to hide it. She wondered if anyone else noticed. She had met Shuuhei before classes and she had went to three classes so far, all of which were big. It would be horrible if all her classmates had noticed.

"Well, now that you hid it, not as much," Aya commented. "So are you sad? About you know, Shuuhei?"

"A little," Midori admitted. "Tomorrow's his last day. In few days, he'll go to the Seireitei and we'll hardly see each other. So tonight, I arranged a date with him."

"Where?"

"Outside, on the hills, where that cherry blossom tree is. Too bad there's no more cherry blossoms. It would have been beautiful to lay underneath them in the moonlight."

Aya gasped. "You mean after curfew, Midori?"

"No one will catch us. Surprisingly, Shuuhei actually said he'd meet me there. I thought he would have told me it was a bad idea." Midori sighed. "Tonight, I want to give him something special."

"Special? You mean a gift?"

Midori grinned and rubbed her neck absentmindedly. "Well, it's a lot more than a hickey."

* * *

Under the tree, Midori and Shuuhei were sitting on a large blanket. Next to them was a basket filled with the meal Midori had prepared. They were dressed in their school uniforms. It wasn't exactly how Midori imagined it but watching him eat the dinner she made had made her feel special. And knowing that he was enjoying the dessert made her glow with pride. She was glad that she had asked Aya to show her how to cook a few months back. Midori felt like a wife cooking this meal for him. She had spent the whole afternoon. But she knew he deserved it. He was everything she had ever wanted and if he did want her to become his wife, she would say yes.

"I still find it hard to believe you made this," Shuuhei stated.

"I can cook," Midori said indignantly as she took another bite into the lemon cake she made hours before. When she was done, she took a napkin and wiped her mouth. Then she waited for him to finish. "Shuuhei?" She said when he was done.

His blue eyes landed on her. "You're finally ready to give me the surprise you've been talking about?"

"Yep," Midori replied, blushing a little. She couldn't believe she was about to do this but she wanted to. Shuuhei was the only one she was willing to do this for.

She opened her kimono and removed it from her shoulders before slipping her arms out. Then she removed the bandages, fully exposing her chest to him. Midori had wanted to come off sensual and as if this was all natural to her. But she couldn't because she never had done this before. Shuuhei didn't say anything; he was staring. At first the blonde thought that he didn't like what he saw. However, she caught his tongue passing over his lips, which made her heart fluttered with anticipation.

Midori leaned forward and kissed him. She pulled away.

"So this is it?" His arms snaked around her body, his hands briefly brushing against her breasts.

"Uh huh," Midori whispered.

He smirked and kissed her.

Shuuhei pulled her onto his lap, never once separating his lips from hers. He started trailing kisses down her neck and passed her collarbone until he reached the valley between her breasts. He moved over and took her left nipple into his mouth. He wasn't sure if he was doing it correctly but took her moans and each whisper of his name as signs of encouragement.

Shuuhei's mind wandered. He thought of her body and what would it be like to make love to her under the stars. Common sense told him to wait for a more appropriate time; desire told him now.

"Shuuhei . . . you don't . . . have to be . . . so gentle."

He blushed. "Sorry," he said.

"Don't be," she said, placing her hands on his shoulders and removing his kimono to expose his chest. Then she pushed him down on the ground, settling herself on top of him.

Midori kissed him roughly, her heart pounding out of excitement. Her tongue found its way into his mouth and met his. She fought back her moans, hoping to dominate his mouth the way he often dominated hers. Her plans were unfulfilled when his hand fondled her breast. She had to moan and she lost the battle as Shuuhei invaded her mouth and quickly flipped her over.

They made out for ten minutes before stopping. Shuuhei lied on the grass, holding Midori to his side, her head on his shoulder. He was trying to catch his breath and he heard Midori trying to do the same. After a while, he did and he looked at the starry sky. He sighed in content.

"I love you, Midori," Shuuhei said. "And not because of tonight."

Midori smirked. "Then since when?"

"I guess when I was waiting for you to wake up in the hospital."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Midori smiled and moved in closer. She had started to develop her feelings for him after she had woken up. It was the flowers he had constantly brought in that did the trick. He had told it was to make her feel better. "I love you too."

"You mean everything to me, Midori. That's why I don't want to hurt you."

"I don't want to hurt you either."

-END FLASHBACK-

Midori snorted. _So much for that._ _If only I had been honest with him . . ._

She wanted to reach the Central 46 Chambers and then head back to her living quarters. She did not know that tonight, she would not be able to follow her normal routine. As she turned the corner, she almost exposed herself to Ichimaru and Tousen. Midori stepped back behind the building and peeked out.

_Tousen actually associates himself with Ichimaru? The irony never seems to stop._

She was about to leave when she heard Ichimaru say:

"Are you staying inside the chambers this time or is it me?"

Midori frowned. Nobody was allowed in the Central 46 Chambers, right?

"I believe I am," Tousen said.

"Good. I'm tired of seeing those corpses lying about. Someone ought to take care of them."

_Corpses? _Midori, wanting to hear more, followed them. However, the two taichou did not speak until they reached the chambers. Aizen was waiting for them. Midori hid on top of a building, trying her best not be seen. She lied down flat on the tiles and peered over the top to see them. _What's going on?_

"So when will you fake your death, Aizen?" Tousen asked.

Midori raised her eyebrows, trying to get a better look. _Aizen faking his death? _She thought in disbelief. _Something's very wrong. I know it. Whenever Ichimaru and Aizen meet, it's something bad._

"In another day or two," Aizen told the two taichou. "Then I can freely act as Central 46 for as long as necessary."

Midori connected that line with the mentioned corpses. She concluded that the members of Central 46 were all dead probably due to Aizen. At this point she wanted to leave and tell Yamamoto. However, she wondered what else they would say that would be important. She would like to know what they were up to for starters. Information like that would be a big help. Probably she would get promoted in the ranks to become a fukutaichou. Maybe even become a taichou after those three were put away.

Forgetting her dream, Midori looked down to see what was going. She noticed that Ichimaru was missing.

"Where'd he . . ." She gasped when Aizen looked in her direction and smiled. "What the hell—!"

"Shoot to death, Shinso!"

Midori rolled out of the way and the blade penetrated the spot she had been. She turned around in horror and saw that Ichimaru was on the roof with her. She had been so close to instant death.

"It's only Midori," Ichimaru told Aizen and Tousen, Shinso retracting itself. "You want me to take care of her?"

Aizen's smile grew. "Please do, Gin. I want her dead."

Midori gritted her teeth. _I find out about the greatest conspiracy in Soul Society history and I can't tell anyone. This is total B.S. _

Ichimaru's zanpakutou came at her again and Midori used her zanpakutou to block. Already, she could see her blade starting to crack from the pressure. _Come on, Raimitsu. Don't break yet, I need you to survive. _Midori tilted her blade up and deflected Ichimaru's Shinso above her head. She took the opportunity to roll away and stand up on her two feet. Quickly, she released her zanpakutou without issuing its command.

Ichimaru grinned. "Isn't your shikai only good when there's a thunderstorm?"

Midori didn't answer but jumped up to attack him, her blade sparking. She would have loved to put a good shock into his system, even if her zanpakutou wasn't at its full potential, but Ichimaru managed to block her attack. She retreated back a few steps.

Ichimaru, seeing his opening, charged at her. Midori tried her best to dodged Ichimaru's quick stabs at her. The man with each succeeding attack got faster. She gasped when she felt the blade graze her cheek.

Ichimaru's smile grew wider. "You don't want to mess up, Midori."

Midori had been going backward. Finally, after taking at least twenty steps back, her foot attempted to stand on a roof that wasn't there. Midori fell off the buildingn and landed on her back. She struggled to get up, pain racking through her body. Her brown eyes landed on Aizen and Tousen, who weren't far away from her. Believing that one of them would attack her, Midori prepared herself to dodge any of their attacks as she tried to get up. Then Aizen said:

"You should focus on your battle, Ono-dono."

Midori looked up a fraction of a second too late. Shinso went through her left shoulder and she screamed as the blade twisted inside the wound that it had created.

"Tsk," Ichimaru mocked from the roof as his zanpakutou retracted. "You should have been paying attention, Midori."

"Stop playing games, Ichimaru," Tousen told the silver-haired man. "Finish her off."

"Must I?" Ichimaru asked. Aizen nodded and the silver-haired man sighed. "Shoot to death, Shinso."

Midori rolled out of the way and forced herself to get off the ground. She glanced warily at her bloody arm and bit her bottom lip. _If I don't hurry, they'll kill me._

"Bankai, Kinzoku Raimitsu," she said.

The ribbon around Midori's arm glowed. Her blade broke down into nothing as the black ribbon changed into a metal glove. The onyx metal covered all the way from the tip of her fingers to her elbow.

The skies darkened and clouds started to cover them. Thunder was going off and lightning was constantly flashing. Midori realized that for all her hard work, she still couldn't control her bankai the way she wanted to; Raimitsu was changing the weather too much to its liking. Though Midori knew that she needed the lightning for her bankai to function properly, all the racket would attract too much attention. Before anyone could arrive, she wanted to take down Ichimaru first.

A lightning bolt struck the ground behind her and there stood Raimitsu, the bird of thunder, sparking. Black eye-paint were underneath both of its eyes and tribal markings were on the left side of its face as well. Raimitsu cried loudly, letting its presence to be known.

Ichimaru scratched his head. "That's huge," he said to himself.

Raimitsu leaned closer to Midori. _**"If you die—!"**_

"I know," Midori said. "I won't."

She jumped up and Raimitsu flew into her being. Raimitsu's tribal markings and black eye paint appeared on her body. Wings of lightning sprouted out of her back, keeping her in the air. She lifted up her metal covered arm. Lightning gathered in the form of a massive ball in Midori's palm. "Raikou," she said, before directing her attack at Ichimaru, "Bakuha!"

The shot came at Ichimaru at its fastest speed. Ichimaru prepared to brace himself until Aizen came in front of him. Aizen stopped the ball with his hand. The force pushed him back few inches before he deflected it. Aizen examined his hand and saw that no real harm had been done. "So this is your bankai, Ono-dono?"

Aizen looked at her and saw the shocked expression on her face. He gave her one of his nicest smiles. "If only you weren't so . . . rebellious.

"Hadou 90 - Black Coffin."

A black-purplish box surrounded Midori. Midori was in darkness; she couldn't see what was going on around her. Then she felt many blade-like objects, passing through her body simultaneously from every angle possible. The box disappeared from around her and she fell back down to the ground, blood oozing out of her wounds.

Her body hit the ground with a thud, her wings disintegrating.

Midori, eyes half lidded, watched a puddle of blood, her blood, spread out from underneath her. She looked at her hand and watched as her bankai disappeared. She no longer felt Raimitsu with her.

Aizen jumped down and approached her, unsheathing his zanpakutou. "Surely you realize you're dying."

_I can't move_, Midori thought. Her eyes lingered on her broken zanpakutou. _I'm really going to die._

"A long time ago, I had hoped to tame you before you went down this path. You showed so much potential. If you hadn't been so foolishly in love with Hisagi at the time, your death could have been avoided."

Aizen was about to finish her off when he heard voices. They got louder as the sources approached the area.

"I think it came from this way."

"Sounds like Squad Four," Ichimaru said thoughtfully. "Probably suspected a trouble."

"I'll leave now," Tousen said. He headed to the chambers to take his place.

"I guess we better leave, too, Aizen-sama," Ichimaru said before flashstepping out of the area.

Aizen smiled down as he eyed the woman. "I guess this is how you'll die. Unfortunately, not by my blade." Before the Squad Four members could see him, the Fifth Squad taichou left.

Midori saw Hanatarou hovering over her. She tried to talk but couldn't. When she saw Unohana-taichou, Midori tried to move but she couldn't feel her body. She wasn't even sure where her hands were. And so, she simply closed her eyes and gave up.

**A/N: Midori's bankai . . . the only reason I thought metal glove because her zanpakutou is lightning and metal is a good conductor of lightning. Raimitsu (hopefully) means something along the lines of "lightning angel" while "kinzoku" means metal. "Raikou Bakuha" means lightning blast. Besides all that, thanks to Foca, pirateXfangirl, and Sweet Yuya for reviewing and to all those that put this story of the favorites/alerts list. The next few chapters will about Midori's past. So everything I've been hinting at it will be explained. Hopefully I won't forget anything. I'll post the next chapter sometime next week.**


	5. Chapter 5: Relive the Past, Pt 1

**A/N: This chapter is the first in a 5-6-part "arc" with interludes every two or three chapters. I decided to take the time to explain what happened to Midori prior to the storyline: why she broke up with Shuuhei, why she hates Ichimaru, Aizen's comment in the last chapter, Midori's rise in the ranks, what she ultimately does to get put in prison, and how she got bankai. 5 to 6 parts can seem long but it could have been longer; I cut out many scenes to shorten it. And don't worry, I did not neglect Shuuhei in the slightest; he's in everyone of these parts. Yeah, so prepare for some drama 'cause I can be very dramatic at times. Anyway, enjoy.**

**CHAPTER 5—Relive the Past, Part 1:**

"I can't believe you're trying to sneak me into an all-girls dorm," Shuuhei muttered.

Midori smirked. "Come on. You're coming to my room where no one will see you and you can stay as long as you want."

"It's against the rules," Shuuhei reminded her.

"I won't get caught. Besides, I want to show you how much I appreciated tonight."

Shuuhei looked the other way, blushing.

Tonight, with the money he had been earning as a soul reaper, Shuuhei had brought her to the best restaurant in the Rukongai. It was an early graduation gift because he couldn't attend the ceremony tomorrow due to soul reaper duties. Shuuhei would have went back to the Seireitei to prepare for his assignment but Midori insisted on him coming to her room. He supposed he had agreed because she looked extremely beautiful tonight.

The woman was wearing a sea-green dress that was backless. It had a low neckline that stopped an inch or two above her navel and was tied around the neck. The dress length stopped five to six inches above her knees, the dress showing him what her school uniform could not. Her hair was up in a bun with the exception to her bangs. She even had on a little lipstick and earrings. It was a huge change for Midori. Could his girlfriend have changed so much in the five months he has been gone?

Midori opened her door and put on the light. "My roommate is spending the night with a friend of hers," she told him, locking the door again.

"I see," Shuuhei said as he watched Midori reached behind her neck.

"So what do you want to do tonight, Mr. Seventeenth Seat of Squad Nine?" Midori asked, seductively looking over her shoulder.

Shuuhei didn't hear the last part of the sentence; the dress had hit the floor a second before it. Mr. Seventeenth Seat found the light switch and turned off the lights.

* * *

The ceiling fan spun lazily as it made a low humming sound. The two were relaxing on Midori's small bed, Midori lying on top of Shuuhei, both of them sweaty. They hadn't made love; they hadn't bother removing the obstructing underwear. If Shuuhei didn't have control of his hormones, he would have succumbed to Midori's rash, yet welcomed, needs. Maybe the next time he saw her, the night when he planned to propose to her, he would succumb to his own desires and go for it.

"I wish you could be there on my first day," Midori said in the darkness. "I'm going to be so alone. I don't know anyone in the Seireitei."

"Don't worry about it," Shuuhei said. "I'll be back the next day."

There was a momentary silence as the fan's humming continued.

"You know what Aya told me?" Midori asked.

"What did she say?"

"That she was going to graduate but not become a soul reaper."

"Really?"

"Yeah. After seeing a real hollow a month ago, Aya said she wasn't cut out for the job. I told her that she was the best one in our class at kido. Of course, she had to be all wise and say being good at kido wasn't good enough . . ." Her voice trailed off as she tried to find something else to tell him. "This morning everyone in the graduating class found out that I was going to be a seated officer."

"Since when?"

"I've known for the last month but I've only told Aya."

Shuuhei frowned. "You didn't tell me."

Midori pushed herself off his chest. "I didn't?"

"No."

Midori grinned. "I'm sorry but I haven't seen you in months."

Shuuhei closed his eyes and the woman put her head back on his chest. He let out a complacent sigh. "So what seat?"

"Twentieth in Squad Eleven, unfortunately," she replied.

"Unfortunate that you're seat twenty or that we're in different squads?" Shuuhei asked. Midori thought about it before replying both were the case. Shuuhei laughed. "Once I got pass the makeup, I could see you haven't changed."

"Ha, ha, very funny . . . so are you leaving tonight?"

"I have to."

Midori sighed, wishing he would stay the whole night with her. However, she thought about what lied in the future and realized that they would have more time to spend together. The idea comforted her. "Okay," she said, accepting the situation. "I'll see you in the next several days, right?"

"Yeah."

* * *

Several days later, Midori was walking through the Seireitei. It was vaster than she had expected and quite often she got lost. However, someone was always around to point her in the right direction. She was looking for Squad Eleven, more specifically her taichou. She had heard numerous things about this man. He was violent and loved to fight. He was also the only captain to not have bankai. Even more importantly, he killed the previous captain to attain his rank. Midori was surprised that such a man was allowed within the Gotei 13. Then again, she remembered hearing that Squad Eleven was full of battle-loving soul reapers.

When she finally reached the headquarters, she was surprised to see only men walking around. _Don't tell me I'm the only female in this squad_, she thought. _They probably only put me in here because of all the fights I got into during my first four years in the academy. It wasn't my fault everyone wanted to pick a fight with me._

"Hi!"

Midori looked to her left and right before staring down. Down below was a short pink-haired girl waving at her. "Hello—!" Midori started but didn't finished. The little girl immediately jumped on her back. Midori felt her eye twitched. "Do you mind getting off?" She asked.

The girl smiled. "That's no way to talk to your fukutaichou!"

Midori couldn't see how that was possible. "Please don't lie to me. I may be new but I'm not stupid. So get off my back now."

"Don't make me call Kenny over here!"

"Like hell I care!"

"Kenny!"

Midori winced, angry that the girl had screamed next to her ear. Midori had a feeling the little girl did that deliberately. The blonde looked around, waiting to see someone equally as short as the pink-haired monster to come. She was surprised that a tall man was coming in her direction.

He wore an eyepatch and his bizarrely styled hair had bells that jingled as he walked. His kimono was open, revealing all the scars he had ever received from battle. Her brown eyes took in his broad shoulders and muscles. Midori believed that this man was eccentric. She also believed that it took an eccentric man to kill a captain. "Are you the taichou?"

"I am. Zaraki Kenpachi."

"Kenny?" Midori said.

Zaraki frowned. "Why'd you call me that?"

"That what this . . . thing calls you," Midori replied nervously.

"Are you suppose to be in this squad?"

"Yeah . . ."

"You're already starting to annoy me. That's your fukutaichou, Yachiru." Zaraki stared at the woman before him, refusing to believe that such a woman was put on his squad. He hoped she could fight as well as she could mouth. That would be the only thing that could save her skin in his squad of battle-loving soul reapers. "What's your name?"

"Ono Midori, Zaraki-taichou," she responded immediately, not forgetting to show her respect. She did not want to make the situation worse.

"Hm . . . Ikkaku," Kenpachi called. A bald man left the crowd and came.

"Hai, taichou."

"Show this woman around," Zaraki ordered.

"My boyfriend said he was going to show me around," Midori blurted before she could stop herself.

Zaraki stared at her. "Is your boyfriend in this squad?"

"No but–-!"

"So how can he show you around Squad Eleven headquarters?" Zaraki shook his head and walked off. "They gave me someone completely worthless," Zaraki muttered loudly so she could hear him.

Midori rolled her eyes, feeling upset. Already, she had made a fool of herself on the first day here in front of her taichou. Nothing could make her feel even dumber than mentioning her boyfriend to a man who obviously could care less who her boyfriend was unless he was in Squad Eleven. She sighed. If she was in Squad Nine, she could be with Shuuhei every day. Shuuhei said his taichou wasn't bad at all; he was all about justice.

Ikkaku stared at the blonde. "Who's your boyfriend?"

Midori looked up. "Hisagi Shuuhei."

Ikkaku leaned in to get a better look at her face. "Really? From the way Hisagi talks, you sound like a goddess. But you're as average as they get. Something about you must have blinded him."

Midori raised her eyebrows, taking the man's comment as an insult. Walking passed him, she said, "It was my ugliness."

Ikkaku turned around. "Hey! Where are you going? I'm suppose to show you around!" Ikkaku scratched his head, wondering what he could have possibly done wrong.

* * *

Midori walked around the seireitei aimlessly. She decided that she would try to make as many friends as possible. That way, she could have connections. But Midori did not know where to start. She saw many soul reapers walking by yet she didn't try to make conversation. Everyone who walked by seemed to have someone to talk to or traveled in groups. She was looking for someone who wasn't engage in conversation, who was walking by themself. For Midori, it was less nerve-racking to have someone to hang out with. Then that person came in the most unexpected way.

Midori gasped as a hand patted her ass. She turned around and saw a taller man. The first thing that caught her was the pink, flowered haori. Then she noticed the straw hat on his head and then the grin.

"I had a feeling that was one hell of an ass," he commented. Midori tried to slap him but the man quickly step back. "Easy, that was a compliment!"

"I don't need any perverts touching me!"

"Even if I'm a taichou?"

Midori shook her head in disgust. "First little girls can become fukutaichou, now perverts are taichou. So what is the guy running this place like?"

The man laughed. "You have to determine that by yourself. Kyouraku Shunsui by the way."

The blonde raised an eyebrow. " . . . Ono Midori."

"I've heard of you. Hisagi talks about you all the time."

"Apparently so," Midori muttered, thinking about Ikkaku.

"You want to come tonight to the bar? A few of us will be over there. Since you're new and all, you could meet some people there."

Midori sighed. "Sure, why not?"

* * *

Midori had been at the bar for a good two hours. Despite the drunkenness, she was doing a good job memorizing names.

She knew that woman with the big breasts was Matsumoto Rangiku. Loud, flamboyant, out there. Probably one of the most beautiful women in the Gotei 13.

Midori spotted her taichou with three other men: Tousen Kaname, Aizen Sousuke, and Ichimaru Gin. Tousen was the man that Shuuhei claimed often spoke of justice. She gathered that he was blind. Whatever Zaraki was saying, the man looked annoyed and displeased. Aizen, as she knew, was the taichou of Squad Five and was very kind. He was nice if he could smile about whatever Zaraki was saying. She knew Aizen was the one of the people that saved her life but she didn't remember him much. She remembered the last man, Ichimaru, more. He had taught at the academy for week because the swordsmanship sensei had been out sick. He had been interesting to say the least. Most of the students had been freaked out by him. She had been the one to fight him and only had been thoroughly humiliated. She hated him for that reason.

Midori raised an eyebrow.

Ichimaru was not contributing to the conversation; he was staring at Matsumoto. Midori took note of this as she checked out the other shinigami in the bar.

She spotted her new "friend" talking to a table full of women, all attractive in some way. Next to him was man named Ukitake, the taichou of Squad Thirteen. She couldn't think of his first name but hopefully it would come to her. All she knew was that he had an illness. She didn't know what though.

Midori spotted Ikkaku and Yumichika. She didn't like Ikkaku very much but she liked Yumichika. He had told her she wasn't beautiful as she could have been but there was hope for her. It made her feel better about Ikkaku's comment. She hoped that her and Yumichika would talk more since they were both in Squad Eleven and she did not know many people yet.

She knew everyone that was worth knowing and, after accomplishing that goal, she left the bar. Midori was impressed that she was able to walk straight after all those drinks. As she walked, she saw Ichimaru standing outside, holding a shot glass.

When the Squad Five fukutaichou heard someone, he looked up and spotted the drunk blonde. Ichimaru recognized her from a swordsmanship class he had taught. For his first lesson, he had wanted to test their abilities. Most of the students had been scared; she eagerly had wanted to try. And he had kicked her ass around to take care of her cocky arrogance.

"Hello," the blonde said. She stopped walking and eyed the man curiously. "What are you doing out here? Lonely?"

Ichimaru nonchalantly shrugged. "Not at all." He really did not want to talk to this woman right now. He had came outside to be alone with his thoughts. But by judging by Midori's expression, the silver-haired man could see that he wouldn't have his silence.

The woman smirked and took a step closer, holding her hands behind her back. She bent forward in childlike manner, her face reading curiosity. "Really?"

"Yeah, really," he repeated.

She stood up straight. "I think you _are _lonely."

"No, I just want to be left alone."

"At least with Matsumoto-san."

Ichimaru stopped grinning. "Rangiku?"

Midori gave him a sly smile at the use of Matsumoto's first name. "So you _do _know her personally. That would explain why you were staring at her."

Ichimaru smiled despite his anger and frustration. "You shouldn't be concern with other people's business."

Midori shrugged. "I couldn't help but notice," she replied too casually. "So, are you in love with her?"

" . . ."

"I'll take another guess . . . your love unrequited?"

"Are you looking for trouble?" He asked coldly, his grip tightening around his shot glass.

Midori's expression softened. "I'll take that as a yes." She moved forward in a clumsy yet confident manner and stopped when she was in front of Ichimaru. "So for how long now have you yearned for her? Does she know?"

The smile disappeared off his face as he noticed how close she was. Oh, it was so easy to strangle this woman on the spot and kill her. But Ichimaru kept his calm and looked the other way. He was not going to answer that question; he was going to ignore her. Maybe then she would get the message and leave. However, he was proven wrong.

"I guess she doesn't know or she's just not interested in a man like you," she said, still persistent. "I mean, she was surrounded by so many men in there. It wouldn't surprise me if she fucks with one of them. There was guy that looks a lot handsomer than you, good body and everything."

Ichimaru frowned and looked at her. "Don't talk that way about Ran."

"It's not like I _said _she was a whore or anything."

"Really you're pushing your luck." Ichimaru raised his eyebrows as she took the shot glass from his hand and drank the rum in it. The nerve of this disrespectful wench. Ichimaru narrowed his eyes. He knew he could come up with more colorful words than wench to describe the woman before him.

Midori laughed and placed her hand on her head, leaning against the fence. "I think I drank too much just now. Ha, if Shuuhei saw me now, he would laugh." At the idea, she giggled.

The silver-haired man frowned. _Shuuhei? Could she be his . . . Maybe I don't have to kill her to make her pay. _Suddenly, Ichimaru grabbed the woman by the wrist and pulled her closer, his smirking reappearing. "You know, I think it's wise for me to walk you home."

"I'm okay," Midori said.

"I insist," Ichimaru stated, his grin growing. He started to pull the woman along, not caring if he was hurting to her. He feigned innocence as he said, "Now that I think about it, I don't have a clue where you live. Maybe it's best for you to stay in my quarters for the night. It's not far and would not be out of my way."

Midori frowned, finding this gesture odd. She had just insulted his "girlfriend" and now he was taking her to his place to let her stay the night. Her thoughts got that far, the alcohol already clouding her judgement. She shrugged off the wariness. "Thanks."

"It's not a problem."

* * *

The next morning, Midori sat up in a bed that was not her own. The air hit her bare chest and she clutched the sheets to cover up. She was alone with a headache, a headache that couldn't stop her from remembering last night.

She remembered how Ichimaru had led her to his bedroom and releasing enough reiatsu to immobilize her, taking away all ability to fight back. She remembered how he had touched her breast, commenting how there was hardly anything until he found out that the blonde had bounded her chest. Then she remembered their clothes hitting the floor and him putting her on the bed before positioning himself. She tried to stop thinking at that point; she didn't want to think about what he did to her.

She drew her legs to her chest. Midori couldn't believe she had sex with Ichimaru. She could blame it on the alcohol or him. The latter sounded better for he had brought her to his room and overpowered her with only his reiatsu. She admitted to herself that she had said some crude stuff in her drunken state but that was no reason for him to . . .

Midori let out a groan and buried her face in her knees. She thought now about the night before Shuuhei had graduated. She had decided then Shuuhei would be the one to get her everything – her body, mind, heart, and soul. And now, she had gave almost everything away to that fox-faced man. Shuuhei was coming back to Soul Society and she wondered if she could tell him the truth. He would be hurt, she realized, and devastated. He would probably want nothing to do with her anymore.

The door opened and she looked up. There was Ichimaru Gin, standing in the doorway.

"I never suspected that you were so capable," Ichimaru stated with a smug smile. "You surprised me last night."

"Shut up," Midori darkly muttered.

"Of course it wasn't as mind blowing as I would have liked it to be."

"I said shut up."

"At least think about this as practice for that boyfriend of yours."

Midori stopped talking, staring at this man helplessly.

"Though it wouldn't be wise to do have sex with him right away. Imagine him seeing those marks on your body given to you by another man." Ichimaru saw that she was about to break down and grinned ruthlessly. He placed his hand on the door handle and gave some final words. "I'm sure he'd think no less of you whoring yourself around. Bye bye, Midori."

He slammed the door, leaving Midori alone with her guilt.

**A/N: I hope this chapter wasn't bad. I was sort of on the fence if Ichimaru would be the one to do it or he would use someone to do it. But then I think Ichimaru, seeing how he enjoys causing people to suffer (ex. when he tells Rukia that he could help her when she was on her way to be executed and then tells her he was lying), would be the one to do it. Anyway, I won't be able to update the story next week because I'm going away to a summer program for engineering (I want to major in chemical engineering). I might try to update before I leave but that might not be possible, seeing that its Tuesday into Wednesday now. So I might have to do a double post when I come back (the program's only a week long). Back to the usual: thanks to SweetYuya, Foca, and pirateXfangirl for reviewing—you people are awesome. **


	6. Chapter 6: Relive the Past, Pt 2

**A/N: Woo! A double post! These two chapters would have been up sooner but I came back Sunday and it took a while for them to be ready, ya know? This chapter was suppose to be up last week. To tell you ahead of time, there is one time skip in this chapter and one in the other chapter. Personally, I would rather break this "rewind" differently and have each chapter be a particular period of her life but some chapters would be short and others would be longer. So I decided against it. Sorry if it irks you. And sorry if this chapter is too long.**

**CHAPTER 6—Relive the Past, Part 2:**

Midori was walking back to Squad Eleven Headquarters to start her day. She wanted to forget everything and yet she couldn't. She was replaying the worst part of the night in her head. _"It doesn't help if you just lie there. You could at least make a few sounds, right?" _She gritted her teeth as she felt hatred for Ichimaru. He had purposely set his zanpakutou in a place where she could see it and out of fear, she had given him the sounds he had wanted. Now as she reflected about it, she was certain that some sick part of her had actually enjoyed what Ichimaru did to her. Not only did she hate that silver-haired man, she hated herself as well.

However, Midori knew that all this hatred and anger she was feeling would disappear. Soon _he_ would be here and all the guilt would finally rush back, weighing down her heart. If there was a way to . . . she shook her head in disappointment. She couldn't change what had happened and she decided she would have to tell Shuuhei the truth. But she would lose him right?

Midori sighed and folded her arms as she walked. She couldn't blame him if he left her; she was dirty, tainted. There was no way she could go back to him now, whether Shuuhei knew the truth or not.

"Midori!"

She turned around and saw Kyouraku heading her way. She paused and waited for the man to catch up. When Kyouraku reached her side, he peered at her face and saw the expression on it. "What's wrong?"

"Huh?"

"You look sad."

"It's nothing." _Wow_, she thought bitterly._ First lie of the day._

"I doubt it's nothing," Kyouraku stated, examining the woman's face.

"Trust me. It's nothing."

Realizing that his buddy wasn't going to answer his question, the taichou changed the subject. "So did you meet anyone interesting last night?"

Midori stared at the man, slightly confused. Then she remembered. Kyouraku was the reason she had went there. What was the original plan? Oh yeah. To meet new people.

Sighing, she replied, "Not really."

The Eleventh Squad headquarters was coming in sight and she saw her taichou talking to another man. Already she had a feeling who it was and stopped walking. Zaraki looked in her direction and the man turned around. She was right. It was Shuuhei, happy to see her. She started to walk over. _I need to tell him now, _she thought. "Bye Kyouraku," the blonde said.

"I'll see you around, Midori," Kyouraku said and flashstepped out of the area.

The blonde met Shuuhei half way. She tried to get her words out but Shuuhei cut her off with a kiss. The kiss was passionate and normally it would have made Midori very affectionate. However, all she felt was guilt. To have him kiss her after Ichimaru did, even after that long shower, made her feel dirtier than ever.

Shuuhei broke away and embraced her. "I know it's only been a few days but I've missed you. Sounds stupid, huh?"

Midori looked at the ground. "No . . . not at all."

Shuuhei let go of her and placed his hands on her shoulders, already sensing something was amiss. He stared into her brown eyes, searching for an answer. "Is something wrong, Midori? You're acting strange."

_Tell him already! _A voice screamed urgently in her mind.

"I . . . I'm fine." The blonde forced a smile that Shuuhei saw right through. _Why am I lying to him?_

Zaraki raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "You're free to do whatever you want today, Ono. There's no need for you to be here."

"Okay," Midori said before looking at Shuuhei. She now had no reason to avoid him for the rest of the day. There was hardly an excuse to get away from him showing her around the Seireitei as he had promised. She needed to tell him; the guilt was already consuming her insides.

"Are you sure everything's alright?" He asked when the two of them were alone. She looked away from him and nodded. Shuuhei frowned and held her. "If something isn't, tell me. You're worrying me."

How could she tell him that she had done the worst thing possible to him? Midori realized that she couldn't and put on her best convincing smile. "I'm fine, really," she heard herself say and kissed him on the cheek.

* * *

Pretending that nothing was wrong was becoming difficult as the day went on. As her insides twisted and writhe, her outside continued its facade. Midori forced herself to laugh, forced herself to smile, forced herself to keep her guilt bottled up. And each time, her mind was cracking, about to explode. After they finished lunch and was walking around the Seireitei, Midori tried to start a conversation, hoping it would keep her mind off of last night.

"The Seireitei is a lot bigger than I expected," she commented, despite how stupid the comment probably sounded.

"Yeah," Shuuhei agreed, pulling the blonde closer to him. "I still don't believe I know this place in and out yet."

"That's surprising for someone who was a prodigy at the academy where people kissed the ground he walked on," Midori stated. Shuuhei kissed her neck and Midori giggled. Suddenly, she wondered if Ichimaru had left a mark there and stopped laughing. But she shook the idea off. Surely Shuuhei would have noticed when he had went in to kiss her and would have said something.

"So how was the assignment?" Midori asked.

"It went okay," Shuuhei replied. "I got few minor injuries. Nothing much. How was graduation?"

"It was nice. Lots of people were there."

"Did your parents come?"

"No. They plan to stick to the fact they disowned me."

The Ono family was high class; everyone in it acted like snobs. Midori was the exception. She had always felt like an outsider because she did not care about the high glam life. Because of this, she had been easily cast aside and ignored while her older brothers were the center of the Ono family's pride.

Midori had acted rebellious in hopes that her parents would look at her. She would break things on purpose. When important people came over, usually with a suitor somewhere in the mix, she would act rude. She would belch unheeded and talk loudly over their guests. Sometimes, she would try to defy her parents. However, those acts proved futile. Her parents could care less if she broke a few items here and there; they were easily replaceable. They could care less about her lack of etiquette; she did not have to marry any time soon and they were certain they had enough time to teach her the proper way of nobility. The defiance — they had dismissed it as a phase she was going through.

At first, she had acted like a rebel to get attention. Then she had turned into one.

She ran away on a few occasions and went to the ghetto sections of the Rukongai. She stirred trouble on the streets with a few friends she had made, friends who showed her how they survived on the other side. It was from these friends she learned of the Academy. When she returned home, Midori told her parents she wanted to be a soul reaper and, like she had expected, her family got upset.

They had insisted that 'being a soul reaper' was a lower class thing and someone of their status did not have to clean up after everyone else. Their daughter was nobility and had demanded she should act like it. As far as they had been concerned, her future compiled only of marriage.

Midori had argued that Kuchiki Byakuya, someone of much higher status, was a soul reaper. However, they had dismissed it, claiming that it made sense that _he _would be one, especially after marrying some woman who came off the streets. Her parents bashed Shihoin Yoruichi before she could even mention her, claiming that Yoruichi was so ashamed that she ran off altogether.

It was only a matter of time before she had left the estate and they disowned her.

Two weeks prior to graduation, six years after she had left, Midori had written a letter telling them that she was graduating. She had received no response and her family had not come to her graduation. She could care less. She had Hisagi Shuuhei who made her happy in every way he could. Only, now she felt that she did not deserve that sort of happiness.

Midori glanced at Shuuhei and noticed that he was giving her a worried look. This time, he didn't ask what was wrong for he knew she wouldn't tell him. Her brown eyes settled on the ground. Not telling him, it was clear that she was hurting him that way. Whatever trouble she was dealing with was clearly written on her face. The pain he was feeling was worse than any physical wound she could ever inflict on him. _It's best if I tell him now. He'll find out soon. I'm certain. And it's better to hear it from me than someone else._

She was about to speak but he got his word out faster. "Midori?"

She stared at him. "Yes?"

"I want to show you something I found the other day. I think you'll like it."

"Okay."

* * *

Midori had been blindfolded so she couldn't tell where Shuuhei was taking her. According to her boyfriend, it was suppose to be a huge surprise. Shuuhei had taken his time, bringing her to this. All the woman knew was that there were lots of stairs because the two kept going up and up for what seemed forever. Unfortunately, she did not have the luxury of being carried. So when she reached the top, her legs were sore. Midori hoped that wherever her boyfriend had taken her would be worth the pain.

Shuuhei stepped behind her, his hands on the ends of the blindfold.

"Ready?"

"Yeah."

Shuuhei removed it and Midori gasped.

"Wow! It's amazing!"

Shuuhei had taken him to the highest point in the Seireitei where they could see every building, tree, and microscopic person. He was happy. For the first time during the whole day, Midori was genuinely smiling. He had been worried about her for it seemed the longer he was around her, the more sadden she became. To see her smile made his worries temporarily go away.

"I see Squad Eleven Headquarters! Oh, I think that pink dot's the fukutaichou!"

Shuuhei almost wanted to laugh; she sounded like an excited little kid.

The woman grinned. "This is incredible! I think that shiny dot's Ikkaku!"

"Can I ask you something, Midori?" Shuuhei asked, his hands in his pockets.

Midori turned around, nervousness written on her face. _He knows, doesn't he? Ichimaru probably told him and now . . ._

"Maybe this is sort of rash," Shuuhei said, looking down at the Seireitei. "Then again you can be rash yourself . . . Alright, maybe that wasn't the best thing to say at a time like this but . . ."

_What's going on?_

Suddenly, Shuuhei got down on one knee and in one swift motion, removed the small black box from his pocket. He opened it, revealing a ring inside. He started to blush. "Will you marry me, Midori?"

The blonde stared at him, her heart beating faster as she stared at the ring. Slowly she shook her head, earning a frown from Shuuhei. Turning around, she took a few steps away from him. There was a rush of emotions. Happiness, joy, sadness, remorse. She wanted to say yes, that she would, but only one thought went across her mind: _I don't deserve him. _

Shuuhei stood and approached the blonde. "What's wrong?"

_I don't deserve someone like him. I knew it the moment he had wanted to go out with me. I knew it the moment I first saw him. I shouldn't have gotten involved with him at all._

"Midori?"Shuuhei turned her around and saw tears brimming her eyes. His eyebrows furrowed. "Did I do something wrong?" He asked, not bothering to mask his concern.

She lowered her gaze. "No, you didn't."

"Then why . . ."

"I just . . . I just don't love you anymore!" She tried to walk away from but he held onto her wrist and pulled her back. "Shuuhei, please," she whispered, her eyes pleading for him to let go.

Shuuhei desperately searched for a hint of anything on her face. "Don't lie to me," he said. "I know you're lying. You have to be."

"Shuuhei . . ." She turned away, feeling the tears roll down her cheeks. Why couldn't he just let go of her and let her walk away? Midori tried to pull her arm away again but his iron steel grip remained fixed on her wrist. She decided to use her last resort to get away. Gulping, she said, "Bakudo 9, Strike."

A beam of red light hit Shuuhei, paralyzing his entire body. He fell down and Midori used that opportunity to flashstep somewhere far away.

* * *

Two months had passed since she had turned down Shuuhei. Every morning she woke up, that was the first thing on her mind. To forget it, she followed her daily routine: eat breakfast and then go to the dojo to fight nonstop. As proof of her dedication, her body was bandaged every place possible. Still the injuries was worth it; she was getting progressively stronger each day, even when healing from the massive blows from fighters of higher ranks. Her improvement was well noted within her squad. Although she could easily spar with the sixteenth seats all day, Zaraki decided to keep her as nineteenth seat. Midori supposed that the only way she could prove herself was if she beat the taichou himself.

On this morning, she was fighting a fifteenth seat. She had recently seen Ichimaru by coincidence. Now, she needed a good way to release her frustration and anger. It was a pity that she took it all out at once on the poor man.

"Up on your feet!" Midori ordered the fifteenth seat. The man was taking too long for her thinnig patience. She clenched her fists and yelled, "Up already!"

When the man did not get up, she groaned and turned away. "Forget it if you're too tired to get up. Yumichika?"

Yumichika, who had been watching the fight, looked at the sweaty towel next to him and cringed. Pinching it between his pointer and his thumb, he tossed it at the blonde. "Taking a break?"

Midori wiped the sweat off her forehead. "Yeah. I think I'm ready to fight fourteenth seats now."

Ikkaku walked into the dojo and saw the man on the floor. Then his eyes settled on Midori. "On your little rampage again?"

The woman shrugged. "What does it matter? I'm done with this rank. I'm ready to fight fourteen's now."

"Unohana said you shouldn't push yourself," Ikkaku pointed out. "You're not even fully healed from last week."

She smirked. "Why do you care so much, Ikkaku?"

The blonde heard a grunt and she looked at where the sound had came from. The fourteenth seat was finally getting off the ground. "You," Midori stated sternly. "Get someone who's seat fourteen." The guy quickly nodded and ran off. Midori looked back at Ikkaku, continuing what she was saying.

"And besides," she went on. "That's why I've been using wooden katanas. You know, to reduce the risk of injury. But thanks for caring anyway."

Ikkaku folded his arms and glared at the blonde. "I don't care about you at all."

"Well, if you sending me warnings then you must at _least _like me. You might even have a crush on me."

"I'm sorry," Ikkaku said. "But I don't. You're too much of a man. You smell like one too."

Yumichika took a whiff and made a funny face. Immediately, he took out a mini can of aerosol and sprayed Midori. Midori gagged from inhaling it too much at once. Yumichika took a second whiff of the woman and smiled. "Now you smell like cherry blossoms."

Midori glared at pretty boy. "Thanks. I always dreamt of smelling like this."

A muscular man walked into the dojo. "I heard someone wants to fight . . . what the hell is that flowery smell?"

Midori walked over, preparing to see how strong the man really was. "I wanted to fight you. The flower smell, blame Yumichika." She walked over and picked up her wooden katana off the wall. "We are using wooden katanas. Are you ready?"

The man nodded, picking up his wooden katana and charged. Midori moved swiftly out of the way and tried to hit the man in the back. He blocked it and smirked before whacking her in the side. Midori gritted her teeth and got low to avoid a second chop. She jumped backward to put some distance between her and the man. But he rushed in to close the gap. Midori jumped over the fourteenth seat and landed on her feet. Before she could turn around and attack, the man's katana dug into her shoulder. The blonde forced her yelp to the back of her throat.

Shuuhei walked into the dojo. "Ikkaku."

"Hey, Hisagi."

Shuuhei went to stand next to his friend and saw that Midori was on defense, trying to counter a series of attacks.

"You came to see her?" Yumichika asked, knowing the state of the two's relationship.

"I was hoping to spar a little with Ikkaku but seeing how this place is occupied."

"Don't worry about it," Ikkaku stated. "I'll just tell Midori to stop. She should listen." Ikkaku looked at the blonde. "Hey, Midori!"

"What?" She asked as she barely managed to block another attack. She pushed off and jumped back. She was about to ask Ikkaku what he had wanted when her brown eyes landed on Shuuhei. She stared, dumbfounded. _Why is he here? _

The fourteenth seat noticed that she was caught off guard and rammed into her. Her body hit the wall, her head colliding with the wood. Everything went black. When Midori opened her eyes again, her opponent was already gone. Shuuhei, Ikkaku, and Yumichika stood over her. "How long have I been out?" She asked, realizing what had happened.

"Five minutes," Yumichika replied, helping the woman stand.

Ikkaku snorted. "I knew you couldn't win. Hell, you couldn't even keep up."

Midori swirled on him, clenching her fists. "If I hadn't been distracted–-!"

"By what?"

"Him!" Midori pointed at Shuuhei, her first acknowledgment of him in weeks.

"You're blaming me?" Shuuhei asked, clearly taken back.

"Yes, I am!" Midori faced Shuuhei and nearly faltered. She looked away to regain her composure. "I could have taken him," she stated, her confidence back.

"You're starting to sound really conceited," Shuuhei criticized.

Midori smirked. "Really? I'm just stating the facts. I could have taken him down."

"You're that strong now, huh?"

"Strong enough to take you down."

"Is that so?"

"I've taken down fifteenth seat ranked officers. Every single one in my squad. You're only, what, sixteenth?"

"Rank doesn't always reflect skill," Shuuhei said, already sensing her arrogance. She was reverting back to her old ways pretty quickly.

"Trust me, I know," Midori stated, picking up the wooden katana. "Let's go right now. I may be nineteenth seat but I'll kick your ass around."

"I'll fight but on one condition," Shuuhei said. "If I win, you have to answer one question."

"Whatever," Midori retorted. "If I win, you'll never show your face around here again."

For Midori, it was painful to be around him. She had hurt him but in the long run, she had hurt herself. She was trying to play it off like she could care less that he was near her but she was feeling guiltier by the minute. For this reason, she had avoided him as much as possible during the last several weeks. And for the same reason, she had focused on fighting instead of memories involving him. She didn't want to think about when he had first kissed her, when they had their first date, when she first attempted to become intimate with him, when she had broken his heart and destroyed her own. Midori wanted to forget and escape. If she had to fight him to make her escape possible, then she would. It would be painful but in the end, the pain should only make her stronger. That was her resolve.

The blonde jumped up into the air and brought her katana down. Shuuhei moved back and Midori landed in his place. Instantly, Midori swung the katana wildly. Shuuhei dodged each attack, his eyes searching for an opening. So far, the girl didn't give him a single one.

As her attacks didn't make contact, the blonde became more and more frustrated. "Why-won't-you—ugh!" During a series of her attacks, Shuuhei stepped out of her path and Midori stumbled forward. Shuuhei saw an opening and knocked her wrist, causing her to drop the katana. The wooden katana hit the floor and clattered its way across the room. The blonde rubbed her wrist before trying to reach her sword. Shuuhei flashstepped in her way and tackled the blonde to the floor.

Midori winced as he brought his katana down. The blade hit the floor beside her head. Shuuhei looked down at her and said, "I win. Now answer my question: why did you run away from me that day? Why couldn't you be honest with me?"

Midori looked away and rolled her eyes, pretending the questioning only agitated her instead of hurting her. "You can't be serious, Hisagi."

He ignored the use of his last name.

"I'm serious," he told her.

"No you're not. It's been almost two months."

"We were together for over a year. Then you tell me, three days after you said you love me, that you didn't. How the hell does that work?"

Midori felt that she was going to break down. "Please just let it die."

Shuuhei stared at her in disbelief. "What?"

"Argh, dammit!" Midori, using her legs, threw Shuuhei off her. He slammed into the wall upside down but Midori did not look back to see what she had done. Instead, she quickly got off the floor and headed for the exit. "I'm going to Unohana. I think I dislocated my shoulder from a previous fight. Bye, Yumichika."

And that was that. She left.

Ikkaku frowned. "I swear she's bipolar. Didn't even say 'bye' to me." He looked at Shuuhei, who was slumped against the wall. "You're okay?"

"Yeah," Shuuhei muttered.

Ikkaku grinned. "Good. Then let's fight right now."

Yumichika sighed. "Can't you be a little more sensitive about the situation?"

"It's been two months," Ikkaku mumbled. "How much more sensitive can I be? I've been trying my hardest not to yell at Midori. For all we know, she's probably wrapping those same legs she kicked Shuuhei with around some other guy."

Yumichika slapped his forehead and Ikkaku noticed the expression on Shuuhei's face. Immediately, he was regretting his last comment. Clearly it upset Shuuhei. The bald man scratched his head, hoping he did not create tension. "It's not like I would know—!"

Shuuhei stood, ignoring Ikkaku's sentence. "Let's start, Ikkaku. Zanpakutou, right?"

Ikkaku watched as the man drew his zanpakutou. "Yeah, sure."

* * *

Zaraki was standing by his window, the blinds open to allow the rays of sunshine to hit his body. Yachiru was gone for the time being. He didn't mind; he could relax in peace. A bird landed outside the window and the taichou smirked. The creature was looking right at him and had not flown away yet. Maybe he was not as scary as everyone made him out to be.

There was a knock at his door. The sound scared the bird off. Zaraki frowned, wondering who it was. "Come in."

"Zaraki," Midori stated as she entered his office.

Kenpachi eyed her, realizing that she failed to address him as 'taichou'. "You're not very respectful, are you?"

"Sometimes," Midori closed the door and was glad that Yachiru wasn't in the room. The confrontation would be without interruptions and she was sure that she could get it all out before fear could creep into her mind. She sat down in a chair. "I want a promotion."

"A promotion?" Kenpachi laughed. "I can't do that."

The woman frowned. "Why not?"

"Do you really believe you deserve to move up?"

Midori looked the other way. "I could beat all your fifteenth seats without a problem."

"So?"

"And I'm still only nineteenth seat. I should be at least be fifteenth seat!"

"Eh, I'll keep you were you are."

Midori gritted her teeth. "It's like I have to fight you just to prove I should move up in the ranks!"

"Maybe you do," Kenpachi smirked.

"Then I will."

Kenpachi raised an eyebrow. That was not the answer he had been expecting. Most people were smart enough not to challenge him unless they had hundreds of people backing them up. Even that was never enough. Still, he was sure that beating the crap out of her would be the only way Midori would fall from whatever cloud she was floating on. "Okay. Fine. Today?"

"Um," Midori started, already feeling nervous. He had accepted her challenge without argument. Before her nervousness could turn into fear, Midori sheepishly said, "Maybe in the next few days. I'm still healing from all my previous injuries."

The taichou shook his head. "Do what you want." To him, healing her injuries before the battle wouldn't change the outcome.

**A/N: Yeah. I hope this chapter was alright. This one was a little harder to write because I had to try to give you an insight to Midori's mind-set, which I wished I pulled off a little better. But the next chapter is better. Anyway, thanks to SweetYuya, Foca, and pirateXfangirl for reviewing. So peeps, you can leave a review here or go on to the next chapter and do that there. I don't care. :) **


	7. Chapter 7: Relive the Past, Pt 3

**A/N: An interlude will be up between this part and the next one soon. In case anyone cared. Sorry for the long chapter.**

**CHAPTER 7—Relive the Past, Part 3:**

"I'm actually tenth seat?" Midori asked in shock.

Kyouraku nodded. "Why are you surprised?"

Midori smirked. "If I move up one more rank, I can rub it in Ikkaku's face."

Ten years ago, Midori had challenged Zaraki Kenpachi to a fight. The result was inevitable. She had lost and ended up in the hospital for over a week. What had Zaraki told her during the fight? Oh yeah. Stop embarrassing yourself. Words that still annoy the crap out of her today. After the fight had reached Yamamoto's ears, the old man had believed that the Eleventh Squad wasn't a "healthy environment" for her and had moved her to a new squad, Kyouraku's.

It was in this man's squad that Midori rose to the ranks she had always wanted to be. Though it was progressively harder to move up; the strength gaps between ranks only grew. It took her the last ten years to move from nineteenth seat to tenth. As of right now, Ikkaku was only seventh seat. Midori figured if she went up one more, she would make Ikkaku get nervous. If she moved up one more, she would be the same rank as Shuuhei.

Nanao walked into the room. Midori gave a quick bow. "Hello, Ise-fukutaichou."

Kyouraku sighed and leaned back into his chair. He gave the blonde a fake pout. "You know, you always treat Nanao with respect but you treat me so cruel."

"She deserves it for putting up with a lazy bum of taichou," Midori smirked over her shoulder. Not like she was really lying; Nanao did most of Kyouraku's work including her own. If it wasn't for Nanao's studious work, the whole squad would have been in shambles. She turned toward her fukutaichou. "Ready to go?"

"Go where?" Kyouraku asked.

"To the hot springs," Nanao stated with a matter-of-fact tone.

Kyouraku grinned and got off his chair. "Maybe I should accompany you two ladies."

"No," Nanao said right away. "It's girls-only."

"That's an even better reason for me to tag along."

Nanao narrowed her eyes. "Sir, I advise you to stay here and do your work. Follow us and there will be consequences."

Nanao walked quickly out of the room and Midori followed. Outside waiting for the two of them was Rangiku and Momo. Rangiku waved enthusiastically. "Finally!" She yelled. "We've been waiting here for like five minutes!"

"Impatient, aren't you?" Midori yelled equally as loud as she walked over. She glanced at Momo. "Hello." Midori remembered the girl from the academy. Shuuhei had been her sempai at one point. Sometimes Midori would watch the training sessions and would talk to Momo. The girl was quiet but Midori knew that once she spoke those kido incantations, she was a force to be reckon with.

"Hi, Midori-san," Momo greeted.

"I can't wait to relax in those hot springs!" Midori said excitedly.

"I think it would do us all good," Nanao commented.

Rangiku laughed. "You have no idea!"

Midori nodded in agreement. Rangiku was right. This week had been stressful. There were numerous hollow attacks in the rukongai and the human world. She was busy left and right doing missions. So had other soul reapers such as Rangiku and Momo. A nice trip to the hot springs would be enough to take all their stress and frustrations away. The trip would be a good way to start the all-girls night.

* * *

After going to the hot springs, the women went into a café to get something to eat. Every table was occupied by someone. Immediately, Rangiku started to look the crowd over to see if anyone she knew were there. "I see some friends already. We can go over there and pull up some seats."

Nanao, Midori, and Momo looked at each other, wondering who the woman had spotted. They followed Rangiku as they walked through the cafe. The table she brought the group over to was occupied by Kira Izuru, Abarai Renji, and Hisagi Shuuhei. Midori let out a groan as she made eye contact with Shuuhei, running a hand through her blonde hair. Reluctantly she took a seat at the table between Izuru and Rangiku, hoping that Rangiku's bosom would block her view of Shuuhei. Immediately, the blonde looked the other way.

A waiter came over to their table. "What would you like to order?"

Ten minutes later, everyone was at least eating or drinking something. Nanao was sipping her iced tea, listening to the different conversations around her. Rangiku was talking to Shuuhei, Izuru was talking to Momo, and Midori was holding a conversation with Renji. She wondered how they could hear each other over the others' voices.

"Ise-fukutaichou," Momo said.

The Eighth Squad fukutaichou looked up. Momo was slightly frowning.

"You've been very quiet. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Nanao stated. "I'm just thinking."

Midori smirked. "Don't worry about Kyouraku. I'm sure he's okay."

Nanao raised an eyebrow. "I'm not worried about him."

"Sure," Midori replied. "You may not act like it but I know you two are dating."

"Really?" Rangiku asked excitedly.

"No," Nanao said, glaring at the blonde.

"Oh," Momo said. When Midori said 'dating', she remembered something she had heard recently. Her eyes went on Shuuhei. "I heard you have a new girlfriend, Shuuhei. Who is she?"

Midori, who was drinking her soda, started to choke. All eyes were on her. The blonde grinned sheepishly and looked down. Ten years and she could still feel tinges of jealousy. She wondered who was the girl. Was it someone she knew, someone she worked with? Was it friend? The blonde hoped not; it would be easier to get rid of the girlfriend that way. She shook her head at herself. _What am I thinking?_

"I hope she makes you very happy, Hisagi," Midori said with a smile. She decided she would take a positive approach to the situation.

Shuuhei leaned forward and studied the blonde. He couldn't tell if she meant that. Midori, noticing that he was staring, just grinned and shrugged. Shuuhei examined her for a moment longer before saying, "You don't mean that, do you?"

Her brown eyes narrowed slightly. "Is this some way to boost your ego? Are you insinuating something?"

He raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Are you hoping that I'm jealous or something?"

"That's not what I—!"

"Just save it," Midori muttered. "If it makes you feel better, I'll take back what I said. Instead, let's pretend I said something along the lines of 'I hope she makes your life a living hell as long as you two are together'. Does that sound like something I'd mean?"

"Midori—!"

The blonde sighed and looked the other way. "Forget it. I won't say anything else to you, Shuuhei. In fact, I have nothing else to say." _Except that I want you badly_, she thought._ That I dream of us doing the things we never got the chance to experience, that I'm sorry for hurting you back then, for lying to you, for being a complete idiot in my drunk stupor. I want to say that I'm still in love with you . . . To admit all that is saying that it's my fault for our broken relationship._

Someone came over and placed a pale hand on the table between Rangiku and Midori. Before Midori could see who it was, the person spoke. It was a simple 'hello' but the voice was recognizable. The tenth seat looked away as the others greeted the person with as much as respect as possible.

"Hello Ichimaru-fukutaichou," Izuru greeted. "I wasn't expecting to see you here."

The silver-haired man shrugged. "Sometimes I come by when there's nothing to do. Never know who you might find in here." Ichimaru looked down at the blonde, her back toward him. His grin grew. "I guess the rumors are true. You really don't show respect toward your superiors."

Midori stood up, wanting to leave now. Already she could feel anger and resentment bubbling underneath her skin. "Some I do," she stated icily. "Others I don't and for a few good reasons."

She was about to walk away but Ichimaru stepped in her way, smiling. "So what's your reason for being rude to me?"

The blonde sighed and folded her arms. The words were out before she could reconsider them. "You're a freakin' bastard."

Her friends at the table stared incredulously at Midori, wondering why she would say such a thing to someone of a much higher rank. However, Ichimaru shrugged as if it didn't bother him. He had heard worse. "You could say that. Or is it really because you find it easier to blame someone else for all your transgressions? You never did tell Shuuhei, right?"

Midori groaned. One look at Ichimaru told her that he was willing to reveal all. Quickly, she swallowed her pride and bowed. "I have to go, Ichimaru . . . fukutaichou." Then she left the café as fast as she could.

Nanao frowned and stood. "I need to go, too," she stated, preparing her excuse. "I should go check on my taichou and make sure he finished those reports." She left, hoping to catch her subordinate before she got too far.

* * *

Midori was halfway to Squad Eight Headquarters when she stopped running. She leaned against the wall and felt a nice night breeze hit her face. An idea occurred to her that Ichimaru was sharing all with Shuuhei now. She wanted to go back and stop him. However, it also occurred to her that going back would be a waste if the damage had already been done. And besides, if Ichimaru had kept his mouth shut, then there was no reason to run back.

The blonde couldn't believe that Ichimaru called her out like that in front of Shuuhei. Did Ichimaru hate her that much? Sure, she had made an effort to avoid the fukutaichou but there were some times when she was forced to deal with the man. And Midori admitted to herself that during some of those times, she had not been on her best behavior. She wondered how Shuuhei put up with her when they had been going out.

She heard footsteps and looked up immediately, spotting her fukutaichou. "Oh, Nanao-san. What are you doing here?"

Nanao ignored her question and posed on of her own: "Did you tell Ichimaru about what happened or did he find out? Or even, was he the one who did that to you?"

Midori sighed. A long time ago, after she had been switched to Kyouraku's squad, she had told her taichou everything about that dreadful night except for one fact: who had committed the offense. She didn't want to create any problems within the upper ranks. Her taichou probably would have approached the Squad Five's fukutaichou and then there would have been a major fight. Then everything would have gone public and Shuuhei would have found out. So she had kept the name to herself. It was her problem and she wanted to be the one to solve it. Currently though, she did not know a good solution.

Midori glanced at her fukutaichou, preparing her lie. It was Kyouraku who had told Nanao. Sometimes she wished that the woman never knew. She was too perceptive.

"He found out," the blonde answered.

"Oh."

There was silence. It was broken by Nanao's sigh.

"It wasn't your fault, if that makes you feel better. That man had no right to take you."

Midori stretched her arms, pretending that the memory no longer bothered her. "I wish Ichimaru said it all out loud. At least that way, I wouldn't feel like I'm hiding it from Shuuhei. He deserves to know the real reason why I broke up with him. Though he probably doesn't care. It's been ten years and I doubt he cares about me anymore. He gave up on me a long time ago."

"Even so, he deserves to hear it from you," Nanao said. "And I don't think he gave up on you.

Midori stared at Nanao. What her fukutaichou had said made sense, lots of it. The blonde glanced up at the moon. It was brighter than usual. "You're right, Nanao. I'll tell him. Someday."

* * *

Shuuhei had followed Nanao, having a feeling she would lead him to Midori. He was right. However, he did not follow his original plan. He had wanted to confront Midori about what Ichimaru knew. All the silver-haired man had said was that the secret pertained about the real reason about why they broke up and mentioned something about another man. Instead, he had eavesdropped on the women's conversation.

Shuuhei leaned against the wall of a building. _Another man? _Already, he could feel the anger. Some of that anger was toward Midori. Most of it was directed at the mysterious man, the one who had committed the act. _Why didn't she tell me?_ He wanted to ask her but then she would be mad at him for listening to her private conversation. He decided to wait for "someday" to come.

_

* * *

_

Several years later . . .

Midori slammed the door of the dojo opened. She saw some unknown Eleventh Squad members, Renji, Shuuhei, and Yumichika. They were staring at her like she was crazy but she could care less. They weren't who she was looking for. "Where's Ikkaku?" She demanded.

"Over here," the bald man muttered, stepping out of a crowd. He was surprised that Midori wanted him. The blonde never asked for him before. So this was a first. Then the situation got even weirder; she was giving him the most smug of smirks. He folded his arms and asked, "What do you want?"

"I finally surpass you!" Midori claimed. "You may be third seat but now I'm the fukutaichou of Squad Three!"

Ikkaku stared. "You think I care? You're not a better fighter than me."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"How about I knock you around the place a few times?"

"I think I'll be knocking you around, Ono."

Yumichika grinned and rested his chin on his hands. "Congratulations, Midori," he said. "You always wanted to be up there in the ranks and now you are."

_True_, she thought as she relaxed a little. _Hopefully it won't stop there though. Being a taichou would be nice._

Ikkaku quirked an eyebrow. "So whose crazy idea was this to make you a fukutaichou?"

Midori grinned. "Kyouraku! The guy actually vied for me and suggested me for the position. Of course, there were some string pulling because not every taichou likes me. But hey, it worked."

Midori glanced at Shuuhei. The man had not said anything yet. She walked over and sat next to him. He was wearing a keikogi, showing off the muscles he had gotten over the years and the blonde couldn't help but stare at his arms. She also noticed that he had also cut his hair a bit shorter and wanted to mess it up a little.

She smirked at him and Shuuhei looked the other way. "Aren't you going to say something, Hisagi?"

"What am I suppose to say?"

Moving on her knees, Midori was behind the man in a matter of seconds. She placed her hands on his shoulders and started a painful massage. She had caught him off guard; he groaned slightly. This made her smirk. "Are you tense because you and your girlfriend broke up this morning?"

She had heard because the woman was in her squad. The ex had been crying hysterically about the break up.

Shuuhei shook his head. "Probably I'm tense because you're here," he replied. "I never dreaded to be near someone this much before." He soon regretted that comment; Midori dug into his shoulders hard, causing him to wince and grit his teeth. He could almost see her smirking behind him in that instant.

"Sorry," the new fukutaichou said as sweet as possible. "I didn't mean to be so rough. Next time, I'll be extremely gentle since you're not man enough to take it."

Renji had been watching Shuuhei and Midori for a while. Then he finally said, "That's a weird way to flirt with someone, Midori."

Midori turned toward Renji, horrified at what he had just said. Her mouth was open, her mind unable to find the words. She said the only thing she could think of. "I'm not flirting!"

Renji grinned. "You were. You just made a flirtatious comment."

"There was nothing flirtatious about it!" She exclaimed, her face turning red.

Ikkaku got in on the joke. "Yeah, and then randomly massaging his shoulders? Wow, you must really like him, huh?"

"It's not like that!"

Shuuhei turned his head and stared at the woman. She was blushing as she tried to deny what his friends were saying. It had been a while since he had heard her argue so much. In a weird way, Midori was cutest like this. "You're blushing," he simply said, his blue eyes on her. "Is it because you _were _flirting?"

Midori looked at the man. "No. They're saying all these embarrassing, untrue things!"

Shuuhei took hold of her hands and lifted them off his shoulders. Then he pulled her down, bringing her chest against his back. Her face was by his now and he wanted to keep it there. Her blush only deepened and he almost laughed.

"This is ten times more flirtatious than whatever I was doing," Midori claimed, trying to take her arms back. Shuuhei refused to let go and she was slightly infuriated. She wondered what this looked like to Renji and Ikkaku now.

Shuuhei smirked. "Oh? So you were flirting. In that case, congrats on becoming a fukutaichou, Midori."

Midori was surprised by his statement. _He just congratulated me . . . Wow. _She couldn't help but smile and snuggle against his neck. _I'm so sorry for hurting him during that massage. _Shuuhei let go of her hands and she wrapped her arms around his neck. She could hardly remember the last time she had done this. She felt like kissing him but couldn't; that action would ruin the moment she had just perfected.

"So is that why you came here?" Ikkaku asked. "Just to rub your rank in my face?"

Midori loosen her hold around Shuuhei and looked up at the third seat of Squad Eleven. "Uh, no. Actually, Kyouraku is having a little party to celebrate my promotion and I wanted to invite you guys."

"We'll come," Shuuhei said immediately.

Midori looked back at the man in her arms. "Really?"

"Of course," Yumichika agreed. "You're a friend of ours."

"Speak for yourself," Ikkaku muttered. "But I'll go for the sake."

"Yeah, I'll come, too," Renji said. "Maybe Byakuya might come and bring Rukia."

Midori grinned. "Great! I'll see you all tonight then!"

* * *

It was clear that Kyouraku's "little party" was no longer small. There were people from different squads walking all over in Eight Squad Headquarters, holding a glass of sake, alcohol, or soda. People were laughing and talking over all the noise and music. Midori couldn't remember being to this sort of party in the Seireitei. She was glad that Yamamoto hadn't arrived to stop it yet. As she walked through the crowded hallways she heard someone addressed her as "Ono-fukutaichou". Grinning, she turned around and saw Shuuhei, who was smirking at her.

She walked over to him, careful not to spill her drink as she maneuvered around people.

"You want to go outside for a bit?" He asked.

Midori nodded and allowed him to lead her outside. They got away from all the noise and sat down in another area of the headquarters. She blushed, realizing that they were alone and far away from most of the people. She and Shuuhei sat down outside a building. The blonde stared at him, fighting the nervous butterflies. "So? What is it?"

"I've been thinking," Shuuhei said.

"About what?"

"About us over the last several years."

Midori looked at him curiously, quietly sipping the rest of her sake. She wasn't sure where he was getting at. She wasn't even sure if he meant 'us' in a romantic sense or just friendship wise. She looked at Shuuhei, hoping that he would soon elaborate. She did not want to decipher what he was talking about the rest of the night. She prompted him. "What do you mean?"

Shuuhei shrugged. "You know, our relationship."

That was not the explanation she was hoping for. She prompted him again. "Our friendship?" The less stronger of the two.

"I meant everything concerning us." He paused for a second and added, "Including when we were together."

"Oh." That clarified some things. Midori sighed and settled her empty glass on the ground. "So what have you been thinking about? It's been so long, Hisagi."

"I know but right now, it feels like everything is almost back to the way it use to be. We've been talking for the last several years a bit. It's a lot better than how it was after we separated."

Midori almost snorted. "You're making it sound as if we were married."

At this, Shuuhei cringed. Midori noticed and felt like such an idiot. He had proposed to her back then and she had turned him down. She almost wanted to smack herself for bringing up the marriage comment. It probably reminded him of how badly that day had ended. "Sorry," she found herself saying.

Shuuhei shrugged. "I don't care about that. Just tell me something and don't worry - I'm not asking about an explanation of why you ran away. I'm pretty sure you'll tell me when you're ready. I just want to know if you loved me back then even though you said you didn't."

Midori looked at him. Already his eyes were on her, waiting for an answer. The words barely came out. "I did, Shuuhei, and I still do." Immediately, she wanted to take back the last part of that sentence. He hadn't asked if she still loved him but she had just given that information away. For all she knew, he was probably thinking she was desperate.

"Let's pretend I didn't say that," she said.

"Why? You did."

"We have a good friendship or acquaintanceship or whatever going. Comments like those ruin those 'ships', okay?"

"Then don't speak."

"How can I not speak? You can't just . . ." He had started to caress her cheek, rendering Midori lost for words. She could see the smirk on Shuuhei's face, as if this whole situation was amusing. To him it was; he was in control now.

"Since you like pretending so much," he stated, "let's pretend that tonight is like one of our last dates except I actually know what I'm doing."

At this, Midori blushed. "You can't be—!"

Shuuhei kissed her, cutting the woman off. At first there was no response. Then she started to kiss him back. She held onto the back of his keikogi, bringing her body closer to his. She felt happy, almost giddy in a sense. It had been so long since she had kissed him that she forgot what it felt like. Midori felt his hand moving up her body until it rested on her breast and gave it a squeeze. She moaned, her lips parting a bit. It was only a matter of time before Shuuhei's tongue entered her mouth and met hers.

He left her mouth and started to trail kisses down her neck. Her kimono was starting to get in the way and he opened it enough that it wouldn't expose anything.

Midori ran her fingers through his dark hair. Did this mean anything to him, she wondered. He hadn't told her that he loved her or anything along those lines. Yet, somehow his kisses were enough to get rid of any doubt she had about this. She wanted to say something but chose against it. It was best to revel in the moment than ruin it.

He rested his head in her bosom, thinking about his next move. Then he reached for her obi. "Can I?"

Midori thought about it, her heart racing. She knew what he meant but she was worried that someone would come and see them like this. However, they were a good distance away from the party. As far as she was concern, no one would have a reason to come this far away from the main scene. And now the woman was feeling sort of hot. "Please, Shuuhei," she whispered.

Shuuhei was about to tug at her obi when he heard a light chuckle. He stopped and looked up, seeing two individuals. "Uh, Aizen-taichou, Ichimaru-fukutaichou," he said, pulling himself away from the woman. "I wasn't expecting you to come here." He was blushing, embarrassed that they caught them like this.

Midori saw them and turned red. She looked down, fixing up her kimono. "Hello, sirs." _How much did they see? _She thought.

Ichimaru, who had been the one to laugh, said, "I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting to see ya like this."

"I'm sorry for the intrusion, Ono-dono," Aizen said.

Midori frowned. "Ono-dono?"

"Yachiru was saying it at the party," Aizen explained. "It's a rather interesting nickname for you. It's not bad at all."

"Oh," Midori said. _Ono-dono, huh? Isn't 'dono' the most respectful title? Well, I'm almost a taichou so it's alright. And it's actually a catchy rhyme. _"Were you looking for someone, Aizen-taichou?"

"I wanted to talk to you," Aizen said.

Midori looked at Shuuhei and shrugged. She didn't want to leave him so soon but a taichou requested her. She stood and looked down at Shuuhei. "You should go back to the party. This might take a while."

Shuuhei stood as well and nodded. "Makes sense." He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek before walking away.

The woman stared dreamily at him, smiling. It was a modest kiss goodbye but it still had an effect on her. Moving on, she looked at Aizen, then at Ichimaru. "Is he coming?"

Aizen glanced at his companion. "Gin? If that's okay with you."

Midori bit her lip. " . . . Sure." What else was she suppose to say?


	8. Interlude

**A/N: I had meant to update this story for the last couple of weeks as well as my other fanfic as well. This week will be my biggest updating week. Two new chapters plus this mini-chap for this story today and two new chapters for my Death Note fanfic later on this week (for those who care). Focusing on this fanfic, I must say that Parts 4 and 5 turned out a lot differently than I had planned. I would have put up Part 6, the final part, but I decided not to. Next week, I'll try to put that up and Chapter 11. Chapter 11 will take us back to the present, when Midori finally wakes up. But for now, we'll stay in the past a little longer. Except for the Interlude. Enjoy.**

**INTERLUDE**

Toushirou was making his way to the infirmary in Squad Four headquarters. His third seat, Ono Midori, was there and was still unconscious. He wanted to check on her, to make sure she was alright. Since Aizen's death, everyone in the Seireitei was on high alert. Toushirou believed he knew who was responsible for Aizen's death and that the same person could also be responsible for the attack on Midori. The young captain had a feeling that the killer might try to attack Midori, to dispose of her properly.

The Gotei believed that she knew something, possibly some information related to Aizen's death, and they were waiting for her to wake up to find out. There could be no other reason why she would be attacked to the point near death. It was a matter of when she would wake up and if it would be in time. And like her other visitors, Toushirou wanted to be the first to hear what is going on.

After finding what room she was in, Toushirou climbed the stairs, heading for the third floor. The floor was crawling with guards for her protection. For furtherprotection, she had her own room. In the hallway, he saw Shuuhei coming in his direction. "Hisagi-san."

"Hitsugaya-taichou," Shuuhei stated.

"You just came from visiting Midori?" Toushirou asked.

"I did but I'm leaving."

"Anyone else in there with her?"

"Not when I left."

* * *

Ichimaru sighed, his hand on the hilt of his zanpakutou. He was staring at the blonde, wrapped in her bandages, still in her sleep. "To think it came to this," he said. "If ya had only minded your own business, Aizen wouldn't have ordered me to kill ya."

It had taken great effort to get inside the room without being seen. Not only were there guards on the floor but outside the building as well. Somehow, he had snuck in through an open window without being seen. Even so, Ichimaru didn't understand why he needed to go through all this trouble. To him, there was no real reason to kill Midori now. As long as she was unconscious, she was not a threat to their plan and he was certain that she would not wake up anytime soon. But if she did when Tousen or him wasn't here and before their plan went into action, that would be bad. And Aizen, Ichimaru figured, did not want to take chances.

The door opened and Ichimaru tensed. He saw it was only the Squad Ten taichou. Even so, he couldn't make a move since someone would know he had been here. "Ah, Hitsugaya, interesting to see you here. How's Momo?"

Toushirou narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"To check on an old friend."

"I know Midori wouldn't say the same thing about you."

Ichimaru smirked. "You never know what to expect with Midori. Why are you here?"

"In case the killer shows up again."

"Why? Didn't Yamamoto-Genryusai already have the Special Forces here for that very reason?"

"I doubt they would be enough. The murderer is at least a captain's level. Unohana-san said the attack was a high level kido. Not only that, Aizen was killed and I doubt Aizen was an easy opponent."

"Are you saying that one of us taichou is a traitor, Hitsugaya? Who do you think it is?"

Toushirou clenched his fists. He knew that Ichimaru was responsible for Aizen's death. He had heard the exchange between them the other day. He also had a feeling that Ichimaru had attempted to kill Midori. He had heard of what had taken place in the bar. "You don't have a clue, Ichimaru?" Toushirou said, trying to sound calm.

At that moment, the door opened and the two taichou turned around. Kyouraku entered the room. He stared at Toushirou and Ichimaru, scratching the back of his head. "I didn't expect to see so many people in here."

* * *

Shuuhei sighed, lying back on the roof top. At times like this, he would talk to Renji and Izuru about what was on his mind. But both of them were locked up for different reasons and right now, there was noone else he wanted to talk to you. All he wanted was to stop thinking about Midori.

The fukutaichou could not believe that someone would do that to her. She could have died if there hadn't been that outburst of reiatsu. That was the only reason some of the shinigami came to the scene. Still, he felt guilty because he had been the last person to talk to her. He wished he had convinced her not to go for a walk in the Seireitei alone or that he had came with her at least. That way, she wouldn't been attack or at least not so badly injured.

On top of that, he couldn't understand how she was nearly killed despite the fact she had bankai. That was another thing that bothered him about the situation. The fact that Midori had bankai proved that the blonde was probably stronger than him. The idea irritated him. The whole time she talked about wanting to be a taichou and how he believed it was impossible for her. Yet, that night suggested that she was capable of being a taichou. He told Renji and Izuru and both had found the idea hard to accept. He supposed it bruised their egos as well. To be on a higher rank than she and she had something they didn't.

Then, the question she had asked him the night of their mission kept repeating in his head. He didn't hate her; he was just confused about her. Even if he wouldn't admit it, he still cared about her. Because of his feelings, he had to pay her a visit in the hospital today and leave flowers for whenever she woke up. He knew that the gift would make her happy and put her in a good mood.

And when she did wake up, Shuuhei would question her. He wanted to know who attacked her in the first place and why. Then he wanted to know how she got bankai. A long time ago, he had noticed that she enjoyed beating the crap out of her opponents after their break up. He had thought it was nothing more than an obsession to prove her strength. He had failed to notice her potential behind that drive.

**A/N: Thanks to Foca, Xx-Alone-In-The-Rain-xX, and SweetYuya for reviewing. Enjoy the next two chaps.**


	9. Chapter 8: Relive the Past, Pt 4

**CHAPTER 8—Relive the Past, Pt 4:**

Midori looked at Aizen, confused by why he would want to talk to her alone. To make things weirder, he was leading her away from her party. Ichimaru was on the other side of her and Midori felt that she was being sandwiched, adding to the awkwardness. To make it worse, both men were quiet and hadn't said a word. She supposed as long as Aizen was near, she would be safe from Ichimaru and whatever he was up to.

"Aizen-taichou? You wanted to say something to me?" Midori finally asked, wanting to end the dreadful silence.

"Yes, Ono-dono," he replied. "To be honest, I never once imagined you would have so much potential."

"Potential, sir?"

"You moved up the ranks so fast," Aizen commented. "Who would have thought that you would surpass your friend in strength? Hisagi Shuuhei was a prodigy in the academy."

Midori looked down at the ground, her face turning red. She still was trying to figure out what part Aizen and Ichimaru had walked in on. Was it when Shuuhei had reached for her obi or way before that? "Yeah, I know," she replied. "He use to train me in the academy."

"Does he still train you?"

"No," she replied. "Kyouraku has for the last few years."

Midori frowned. Why was Aizen so curious about how she had trained during her years in the Seireitei? Was her improvements really that impressive? She didn't think so. Shuuhei was already third seat and she was certain that he would be a fukutaichou any day now. And the only reason Ikkaku hadn't moved up because Yachiru was the unofficial permanent fukutaichou and the blonde was certain he was hell of a lot stronger than she herself was. Of course, Midori would never say that to Ikkaku's face; she had too much pride.

Midori took the chance to glance at Ichimaru, wondering what he was thinking. The silver-haired man hadn't said anything yet and his face revealed nothing about his thoughts.

"I wish that I had noticed your potential back then during the academy," Aizen said, going back to his previous subject. "I only noticed the potential in Shuuhei, Momo, Izuru, and Renji because they were fighting a hollow and I was impressed by their skills. You, on the other hand, were unconscious at the time. But I should have noticed it. The fact that you were the only survivor was proof enough."

He gave her a gentle smile and Midori felt herself go red in the face. All she could think about was how good looking Aizen was, glasses and all. Immediately, she looked back down at the grass.

"I only survived because you, Ichimaru, and Shuuhei saved my life," Midori said, trying to be modest. But it was getting harder because of the compliments Aizen kept throwing her way. Soon she was nodding and agreeing with what he was saying, whether it made her seem modest or not.

"I must admit that I'm a little jealous that you're not in my squad, Ono-dono," Aizen stated. "To see the way you've matured—!"

"Can we get to the point, Aizen-san?" Ichimaru interrupted. He was getting tired of the amount of praises Midori was getting.

Aizen smiled sheepishly. "What I want to say, Ono-dono, is that if you need anything, I'm willing to help you."

Midori gave a quick bow. "Thank you, sir. I better head back the party. It's for me after all." She was about to flashstep but Aizen placed a hand on her shoulder. Her brown eyes gazed into his.

"Anything," he repeated.

Aizen, making sure he got the last word, walked off, leaving a dazed blonde alone with Ichimaru. Midori was too busy watching Aizen to notice that Ichimaru was still around. The Squad Five taichou made her heart flutter almost as much as Shuuhei did. Then again, the taichou was a heartthrob without even trying. He was kind and considerate, the perfect example of a perfect man. Hinamori Momo was head over heels for this man; she talked about him during their girl coversations. Of course, Midori preferred Shuuhei more only because her heart already belonged to him.

Ichimaru casually wrapped an arm around Midori's shoulders, startling the woman. "Still talking to Shuuhei?" Ichimaru whispered into her ear. "I guess that means you told him?"

Midori let out a groan of frustration and shrugged away. "Just go and burn in hell."

She walked away. Swiftly, Ichimaru grabbed her wrist to prevent her from getting further. Midori turned around and looked into Ichimaru's eyes for the first time in her life. Immediately, she felt the effects of his crushing reiatsu. She could hardly breathe, hardly move. Her eyes caught the movement of his free hand moving to his side. _His zanpakutou?_

"Since we're both here and all, maybe I should teach you a lesson or two."

"About what?" Midori challenged, trying to take her wrist back but to no avail.

"About respect."

"Ichimaru-san."

The silver-haired man looked up and spotted Kuchiki Byakuya on the rooftop. Ichimaru closed his eyes and smiled. "Kuchiki-san, surprise t' see you here."

"What are you up to?"

"Nothing really," Ichimaru said and relinquished his hold on Midori. "I was just about to leave, right Midori?"

The woman narrowed her eyes, wanting to fight him. Ichimaru's smile only grew wider.

"Bye bye for now." The Squad Five fukutaichou flashstepped out of the area.

Midori looked up at Kuchiki, slightly grateful that he had arrived to the scene. But why was he here anyway, she asked herself. Then the answer came around the corner. The moment she saw Renji and Rukia running, the redhead boasting about how they had lost that 'stupid Byakuya', the blonde slapped her forehead. "Baka!" The word was out her mouth before she could think it.

Renji spotted the blonde. "Midori . . ." He stopped running. "Why the hell did you call me 'baka' for?"

"Cause that's what you are!"

Without waiting another moment, Byakuya jumped down behind Rukia and Renji. Slowly, the childhood friends turned around and grinned sheepishly.

"Kuchiki-taichou!"

"Nii-san!"

* * *

"Renji had her," Midori stated as she went over the Byakuya-Renji-Rukia story with Shuuhei. "If he was smart, he would have kept her inside the crowded place. Why go out into the open where he could easily find you?"

Shuuhei sighed. "True."

Midori had been heading over Squad Three headquarters when she bumped into Shuuhei. The man had asked if he could escort her there and she had said yes. Another step to repair their damaged relationship. Midori hoped soon that they would reach the height they had once been at. Nothing else would make her more happy.

Still, she wondered about last night. She wanted to bring it up but that part of the night was suppose to be "pretend". She was curious about what his intentions were though and if he meant what he did. Shuuhei had asked to remove her obi. What else had he wanted to remove? Midori blushed at the images in her mind. Quickly, the woman pushed them away and focused on what was coming ahead: her meeting with her new taichou.

"I'm worried about this," Midori admitted. "What if my taichou hates me? What if I don't meet the expectations set for me? What if I—!"

"Stop worrying," Shuuhei said. "If the taichous did not think so, you wouldn't be a fukutaichou. You'll be great."

The woman smiled. "Thanks. That boosted my confidence a little."

"I'm glad it did."

Shuuhei and Midori reached the destination. Shuuhei patted Midori on the back and told her not to worry. Then he left. The blonde stood outside her new headquarters a little longer, still in disbelief that she was no longer under Kyouraku's command but someone else's. She hoped that her new taichou would be kind and sweet.

As she walked through the hallways, hearing greetings of 'Ono-dono' and 'Ono-fukutaichou', she tried to list all the possible candidates for the first seat in Squad Three. She thought about Ikkaku, assuming maybe that was why he wasn't impressed by her promotion because he had gotten a better one. She even considered that maybe it was Shiba Kaien. The shinigami was very talented. Midori continued her list as she opened the door to her office. She stopped in the doorway, too shocked to move. The man sitting at the desk could not be her taichou. There was no way in hell that _he_ could be her taichou..

"You're desk is over there, _Midori_."

The blonde stared at the taichou from the door and shook her head. "Is this some sick joke, Ichimaru?"

The silver-haired man's smile grew. "It's Ichimaru-taichou."

Midori remained silent. She watched as Ichimaru stood and walked over. Without a word, he closed the door behind the blonde. Her brown eyes couldn't leave Ichimaru; it had occurred to her that he was possibly angry about yesterday. As much as the man smiled, she could never be too cautious around him. Though she was trying to be aware, Ichimaru managed to catch the blonde off guard.

He grabbed her by the wrists and slammed her against the wall. Using one hand, he held both of them above her head. The other hand went to his zanpakutou and unsheathed it. His twisted smile turned into a full-fledged grin.

"Now, where did we leave off last night?"

"Don't you think about it or else!"

"Is that a threat, Midori?"

The blonde gritted her teeth, hating the fact she was being taken so lightly. Quickly, she wrapped her long legs around Ichimaru's waist and pulled him in. She then reared her head back and brought it forward, her forehead colliding with his.

Ichimaru dropped her wrists and she fell onto the floor. She touched her forehead, surprised that she had actually broke skin. She looked up and flinched when Shinso penetrated the wall beside her head.

"Sometimes, you can be a real bitch, ya know?"

"Sorry, Ichimaru-_taichou_, but it's in my nature." Midori got off the floor, ignoring the smirk he was giving her. Saying that simple honorific hurt her pride but she was not going to fight Ichimaru over his title. She could fight him over more important things. The blonde gave him a small bow, ignoring the blood on her forehead. "I'm glad to be working underneath you," she lied through her teeth.

"I don't care if you're glad or not," Ichimaru commented, his smile never fading. "Just as long as you know your place."

She gave him a funny look. "I'm not obligated to follow you."

"Really? Do you want me to tell Shuuhei about what happened between us?"

Midori sighed and folded her arms. "I don't care anymore. If you want to tell him, go ahead. I'll tell him my side of the story after yours. I care a lot about him so it's my job to explain myself to him."

"Funny you should say that. How much do you care about him?"

"Why?" Midori asked.

"How far would you go to protect his life? At the expense of your pride?"

Midori gulped. Ichimaru was not making sense. What about her pride and what could it have to do with Shuuhei? She saw the puzzle pieces but they weren't fitting together the way she wanted them to. She was worried, especially since Ichimaru was talking about Shuuhei's life. Was he threatening to kill him? Midori bit her bottom lip. "I don't understand what you're saying."

"Strip, Midori."

The blonde gaped at him. Ichimaru remained nonchalant.

"Strip or else I'll go kill Shuuhei."

At the expense of her pride. That was what he meant by that phrase. Midori looked away. She did not want to undress for Ichimaru's sick amusement. However, she did not want Shuuhei harmed in any way because of her arrogance. She closed her eyes and pulled on her obi. Then she shed her outer kimono off. She was about to remove her under-kimono when Ichimaru laughed.

"I was joking, Midori, about stripping. I didn't expect you to be so willing. I guess when it comes to Shuuhei, you're willing to do anything to protect him, aren't ya?"

Midori gritted her teeth, wanting to slap the man. But fear of unleashing a beast held her rooted to her spot. She reached for her kimono and started to dress herself.

"But I did mean I could kill Shuuhei," Ichimaru said, a mocking undertone in his voice. "And I'm not the type of person that has a problem killing another, understand, my dear fukutaichou?"

"I understand," Midori said almost robotically, wondering if there was honesty in his statement. The way Ichimaru talked was as if he had killed a shinigami before.

"Good. Now maybe you should see the Squad Four. You're starting to make a mess on the carpet."

The woman glanced down at the carpet and saw a few spots of blood. She rolled her eyes and left the room. She could care less about the carpet; she just liked the excuse _about_ the carpet. It was the only way she could get away from Ichimaru-_taichou_.

* * *

"Are you sure about this, Aizen-dono?" Ichimaru asked. "She's a little, _rebellious_."

"But she's motivated," Aizen said. "She wants to get stronger. And once I show her what she wants, she'll come to my side soon enough. Even if she can't stand you."

Ichimaru scratched his head. It wasn't that he didn't trust Aizen's judgement but could the woman really be an ally instead of a pawn? It was clear that even if she adored Aizen, she hated him and that didn't seem like a hatred that would be forgotten overnight. She was similar to Renji in her rebellious manners but he doubt that she was completely good. The man had a feeling it was that small glimmer of darkness in her soul Aizen was aiming for.

"So how are you going to do this?" Ichimaru asked.

"Get rid of outside influences of course."

* * *

It was around noon when Midori stood up from her desk. She and Ichimaru had been working on paperwork the whole morning in silence. Though no harsh words have been said, the air was still thick with tension. Ichimaru did not like her, that much was clear. Wasn't he one of the people who had decided for her to be the fukutaichou of Squad Three? So she decided to leave on her lunch break just to get out of the room and go somewhere fun. And that would be with the first squad she was part of.

The dojo was almost empty, a rare condition at Squad Eleven headquarters. She only saw Yumichika sitting on the floor eating lunch while Ikkaku and Shuuhei fought with their zanpakutou. Despite her loud voice, Ikkaku and Shuuhei still did not notice the woman and continued their battle. Only Yumichika looked up from what he was doing. "Hey, Midori!"

Shuuhei and Ikkaku stopped fighting when they heard who was here. Ikkaku frowned and looked at her. "Why are you here? Your taichou got sick of seeing you and kicked you out?"

Midori closed the door and walked inside. "No. I just came to see Shuuhei, really."

Ikkaku raised an eyebrow, passing a glance at Shuuhei, who was glancing at the floor. He then looked at Midori and saw that she was staring off into space. It had been almost twenty years and they were still . . . The bald man shook his head and told himself he shouldn't find this surprising. He sheathed his zanpakutou and walked over to where three bento boxes were stacked. One was his, the other two belonged to Shuuhei. _So that's who the other one is for_, he thought.

"We'll continue after lunch," Ikkaku told Shuuhei before finding a spot in the dojo to sit and eat.

Shuuhei went over and picked up the last two bento boxes. He walked over to Midori and handed her one. She smiled as she followed Shuuhei and sat near him. She would have considered this a date if Yumichika and Ikkaku weren't here. But she could deal with their presence, she told herself as she began to eat her lunch. The fact that Shuuhei was close to her was good enough. The blonde sighed in content.

"What are you so happy about?" Shuuhei asked, raising an eyebrow in her direction.

"Don't worry about it," Midori told him, raising an eyebrow in return. She couldn't imitate his expression long and broke out into a smile.

Shuuhei shook his head, unable to keep back a grin. "How's your first day of being a fukutaichou?" he asked. "I heard that . . . what happened to your forehead?"

She touched and felt the gauze that had been taped down. She forgot all about it and realized how stupid it probably looked in the center of her head. "It's nothing. Just hit my head."

"Are you really that clumsy?"

"Seems unbelievable, huh?" Midori sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "Shuuhei, I want to tell you something."

"Tell me. I'm all ears."

"Not now. When we're alone."

Shuuhei glanced at the blonde, seeing that she went back to eating her lunch. He wasn't sure what she wanted to tell him. He hoped that it wasn't something bad. If he had to explain his actions last night, he could do that. If she wanted to say something negative about him or something like that, he didn't know what to do. Then an idea occurred to him. Maybe she was finally about to tell him that secret. He still remembered some of the exchange between Nanao and Midori.

"Is something wrong?" The blonde asked. He seemed lost in his thoughts.

Shuuhei shook his head. "You want to meet tonight to talk?"

Midori smiled. "Sure."

**A/N: Okay. See the beginning of this chapter is the way I planned it. The ending is different. First off, I didn't plan on giving Aizen a role in any of this. It just happened. And I didn't really plan on Midori wanting to tell Shuuhei this early. It just that I read SweetYuya and she mentioned it and I was like 'Why not?' And because of that, I managed to write the next chapter, which I have been struggling to write for a while now (writer's block – not something I enjoy having). So go on to the next chapter and don't forget to review. :)**


	10. Chapter 9: Relive the Past, Pt 5

**Chapter 9—Relive the Past, Pt 5:**

It was late at night and Midori was hurrying to meet Shuuhei. She decided she would tell Shuuhei everything except the name. After Ichimaru said he could kill Shuuhei without a problem, it didn't seem like a good idea to let him know who had done it. Midori knew that Shuuehi would approached her taichou and the end result would be bad. She wasn't sure what would happen but decided this confession was a must. And maybe, just maybe, she would correct all the wrongs she had made.

"Ono-dono?"

Midori stopped running and turned around. "Aizen-taichou, um, hello," she quickly added, giving a short bow. In her rush to see Shuuhei, she hadn't noticed the taichou standing there and so his presence had caught her off guard.

Aizen stepped out more into the open and examined the blonde's face. "You seem surprise to see me."

"No," Midori said quickly. "I just didn't expect to run into anyone at this time of night."

"Well, I'm glad I found you. I wanted to ask you if you wanted to train under me."

Midori's brown eyes widened. She had trained under Shuuhei and Kyouraku but it had always been about swordsmanship. From what she knew, Aizen was amazing at kido, an area where she was lacking. She knew that no one could be a better teacher than the taichou of Squad Five. "Is this a joke? Are you really serious?" She couldn't keep the disbelief out of her voice.

"Would I lie to you about this, Ono-dono?"

Midori grinned. "Thank you."

"Just one more thing: don't tell anyone about this. Others might get jealous that you're getting special treatment. We start tomorrow at dawn, if that's alright."

Midori nodded, said her goodbyes after another thank you, and flashstepped out of the area. She was happy that Aizen would take her under his tutelage. She wanted to tell someone so badly but she would force herself to keep the secret training to herself. And besides, she had bigger things to worry about.

She finally reached Shuuhei's living quarters and took a deep breath. Then she knocked on the door. It only took a few seconds for the door to swing open, revealing that Shuuhei was still in his shinigami robes. Midori wondered if he had recently came back from his work.

"For a second, I thought you weren't coming," he told her.

"I got held up for a while."

They stood there in silence, trying to find something else to say. Then Midori said:

"Can I come in or am I going to stand outside the whole time?"

Shuuhei moved aside and motioned her to come in. Midori walked through and the door closed. The blonde took a seat in the room and Shuuhei sat across from her. Already, she glanced at the ground, lost at how to start the conversation. It wasn't something she could just blurt out. She had to work her way up to that point.

Shuuhei watched her. He wanted to ask her what she wanted to talk about but decided against it. He didn't want to discourage her in any way. He waited for a few minutes, surprised that she didn't say a word yet. The silence was awkward to him. He was about to say something, maybe a how-are-you, when she spoke quietly.

"Remember a long time ago, when I ran away from you that day?"

The man nodded, his blue eyes staring intently at her. "The day I proposed to you, right?"

"Yeah. I wanted to marry you. Really, I did. But I couldn't." Midori took a deep breath and looked at the man across from her. Already, she could see how his eyes were on her and only her, trying to see where she was going with this. The woman prepared herself and started. "See, the night before you came back, I got really drunk . . ."

She told him everything, every detail that she could remember. As she told the story, she tried not to let her emotions get the best of her. The woman managed to hold her tears back a little longer as she reached the climax of her recount. At some point, her eyes gazed at the ground and remained there for the duration of her story. She felt so many different emotions all at once. Once again, she felt like a serious idiot and once again she felt angry at herself. Still, she refused to let that show because she knew that she would cry and she wouldn't be able to stop. The woman did not want the man to feel sorry for her; she wanted him to know the truth. It wasn't until after the story's end that the tears broke free of her rock-solid composure and flowed down her face.

Immediately, she wiped them away.

"I wanted to tell you before but—!"

Shuuhei had moved to be next to her and cupped her chin, tilting her head up so she would look at him.

"You could have told me," he whispered.

"I couldn't. I felt so dirty when it happened. I couldn't be around you the next day."

Shuuhei gently wiped her tears away, never losing eye contact. "Do you feel that way still?"

"I don't know. I know it's not my fault but . . ." Midori sniffled. She didn't want her voice to crack while talking to him. The crying was bad enough already. More tears came and he wiped them away in a tender matter, one that would stop her heart if it had to.

"It's not your fault," he told her. "And you're not dirty at all. You're still beautiful to me."

"But—!"

Shuuhei kissed her gingerly on the lips, feeling hers quiver slightly. Then he pulled away and pressed their foreheads together. He found her hand and intertwined it with his. He could feel her grip tightening and he took that as a sign of nervousness. But then he felt her arm wrap around his neck. He leaned in and kissed her again.

Midori hiccupped slightly on her tears but kissed him back. She wished she would stop crying because she knew that was why he refrained himself. His hands were not touching her the way they had last time. His hands were more in comforting places than arousing ones, making her wonder where this was leading to. Would the two of them stay here or go on to something bigger? The thought was making her nervous. For once, she wasn't in the mood for anything more.

Shuuhei stopped kissing her and looked at the woman before him. He wiped her tears away and saw that she was no longer crying, just staring at him anxiously. "You mean the world to me, Midori. Don't forget that."

"I won't," she said softly.

"You want to spend the night here?" He asked standing up.

Midori looked at him, her eyebrows furrowed. "But where will I sleep?"

"Next to me. If you want to."

The woman nodded. She understood that he just wanted to comfort her and that was all she wanted right now, nothing more. Midori allowed Shuuhei to take her to his bedroom, where he would hold her as close as possible till the sun rose.

* * *

It was dawn when Midori found Aizen waiting for her outside his headquarters. There were hardly anyone walking around the Seireitei. She was certain that Shuuhei had fallen back asleep after she said goodbye to him. However, this was fine. There were less people to see this meeting taking place. After all, the training was meant to be secret.

"Morning, Aizen-taichou."

"Morning to you, too.," Aizen greeted. "Should we go now?"

"Hai."

Aizen led the blonde to an open field, a good distance away from other shinigami. She looked around, admiring how nice the place looked with the few occasional daisies and perfect green grass. It was a nice day, too, with the crystal blue skies and the bright sun coming up. Midori sighed out of content and stretched. Then she looked at the taichou.

"Are you going to teach me kido, Aizen-taichou?"

"You want to learn?"

"Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt, considering that I could be better."

"If you want, we can work on that. But today, we'll focus on your zanpakutou. What's your zanpakutou like?"

Midori unsheathed her weapon, revealing the long katana. "Okay," she started, allowing the sunlight to reflect off the blade. "Well, its name is Raimitsu and it's lightning base."

"Release it for me."

"Strike, Raimitsu." The katana-shaped weapon changed its form. The new blade had a zigzag form, resembling a lightning bolt. The guard was windmill-shaped and the hilt was wrapped in a black ribbon, which soon raveled around her right forearm. Soon, her zanpakutou started to spark.

Aizen examined.

Midori watched the taichou. "It's only at its full potential in a thunderstorm. I tried it once in the human world and the results were pretty good. I don't know if Raimitsu could generate its own storm in its shikai form. I've been trying but that hasn't happened yet. Maybe it does on its bankai."

"Do you want bankai?" Aizen asked.

Midori looked at her sparking blade. "Who doesn't? Once you have bankai, you practically have taichou status, you know?"

"So you want to be a taichou?"

"Hey, maybe be in charge of this whole place."

Aizen smiled. He was pleased by what he had heard. Midori was power-hungry, something he encouraged as long as she knew her place. He was curious about how far she would go to obtain those goals.

Midori looked at the man and asked, "What's your zanpakutou like? Can I see it in its shikai, Aizen-taichou?"

Aizen unsheathed it, having no problem with this whatsoever. "My zanpakutou's name is Kyoka Suigetsu. It's not an elemental type like yours, Ono-dono."

Midori raised an eyebrow. "So it's more fighting base?"

"I wouldn't say that. I wouldn't know how to exactly describe it for you. Do you still want to see it?"

Midori nodded, eager to see a taichou in action. This was, after all, the rank she hoped to attain.

Aizen smiled. "Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu."

* * *

By the time it was ten o'clock, Midori was walking around the Seireitei, exhausted from her training. Aizen was a tough teacher but that was alright; she would work twice as hard to keep up. She already knew that it would be hard work that would get her to where she wanted to be, just like she knew that Aizen would be the one to unlock her full potential as a shinigami.

She rounded the corner and bumped into Shuuhei. She, being the smaller of the two, fell to the ground while he only stumbled back a few steps. Shuuhei extended a hand down and she took hold of it. Then the man hoisted her up onto her feet.

"Sorry," Shuuhei apologized.

The woman shrugged, dusting off the seat of her pants. "Don't be."

Shuuhei watched in slight amusement before asking: "Are you doing anything tonight? If you're free, maybe we can go out, together, just the two of us."

Midori blinked before smirking. "Is this a date, Hisagi-san?" She teased.

"Yeah. I guess it is."

"Then I'll go with you," she told him. "Walk me to my office?"

Shuuhei nodded and the blonde linked her arm in his. For the first time in a long time, she felt that everything was perfect, that everything was right. The weight of what happened all those years ago was gone and, though her hatred was still there, she could live with that. In addition, she was being trained by one of the most powerful taichou in the Gotei 13. Midori knew that she would become powerful under his guidance more than anyone else's. It was something that her instincts were telling her. To top it all off, she had the love of her life with her again and she refuse to let go this time. If he asked her to marry him again, she would accept gladly with her whole being.

Nothing was better than this as she stole a kiss from Shuuhei, well in full view of Ichimaru and other members of her squad. Yes, Midori was happy and believed that nothing could make it end because she believed she had been through the worst of things. It was a pity that she didn't remember the calm always came before the storm.

**A/N: This chapter would have been extremely different if I didn't have writer's block before. Originally, I don't think Midori was suppose to have this good of a chapter. It ended on such a happy note for her. If you don't look at the last line. Sometimes, I believe I'm cruel to Midori. But don't worry. She'll be back with Shuuhei soon. Maybe I'll actually write my first lemon if I'm daring enough and stop teasing all of you. Yeah. Till later.**


	11. Chapter 10: Relive the Past, Pt 6

**A/N: I wanted to do a double update for this story. I really did. However, I wasn't satisfied with Chapter 11. It just wasn't coming out the way I want. This chapter, on the other hand, did and I must admit it wowed me. At first I wanted to split this into two but then I realized that it should be one cohesive piece. Why? It reveals how everything goes downhill. Yes. At one point I wanted to title this chapter something like "When Good Things End". This chapter will be, by far, the longest chapter I will ever post for any story. In addition, this chapter turned out very different, similar to the last two parts. Anyway, next week, I will post the next chapter (Midori finally wakes up, people!) that I will hopefully be satisfied with. Until then, enjoy this chapter.**

**CHAPTER 10—Relive the Past, Pt 6:**

The last few months had been hell.

Ichimaru had suddenly piled a majority of Squad Three's work on Midori. The woman found herself staying in her office until midnight sometimes, trying to complete Ichimaru's paperwork because he didn't want to do it. After such nights, Midori had to wake up six hours later to meet Aizen for her training. It was worth it because she understood her shikai a little better now and her kido skills had greatly improved. But despite the wonderful benefits, she was always tired when she had another full day of work under Ichimaru. Then, to add to all that wonderful stress, she had been seeing illusions that bother her.

The visions didn't appear often, but when they did, they were always either one of two things. Sometimes it would be a bloody Shuuhei blaming Midori for his death. Other times, she would hear Aizen's voice and feel his embrace. These illusions would disappear after she blinked or did a double take. Midori would like to say she was crazy because everything would then make sense. But she knew that would be lying to herself. The illusions looked too real, felt too real to be ordinary hallucinations of the mind.

Once again, tired, Midori made her way to her headquarters.

_I can't be the reason for Shuuhei's death because I love him. And I can't have feelings for Aizen because my heart belongs to Shuuhei. I know something is wrong with me because I'm the only one who sees them and hear voices. Yet Unohana-taichou claims that nothing _is_ wrong and she must have checked me at least a dozen times. Ugh, this can't be a kido spell. I don't believe that such a kido spell exists. _

Midori stopped walking and looked over to her right. Once again, she saw a bloody Shuuhei on the ground, looking at her with dull eyes. The woman was about to scream when strong arms wrap around her.

"Hey, Midori."

The woman looked over her shoulder and saw Shuuhei grinning at her. When she looked back at the illusion, it was gone. She shrugged off the dread and wrapped her arms around his neck. She smiled at the man, the only good thing she had going.

"Hello," she greeted before pecking him on the lips. "Where you're going?"

"Nowhere really. I have the day off. What about you?"

"I'm working."

"Ichimaru-taichou never seems to give you a break."

"Ichimaru-_taichou_ will never give me one," Midori replied, the word 'taichou' leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. She had meant it in a mocking way but damn, it still got under her skin. Somehow, Midori doubt that she would get over the shock of the bastard being her taichou.

"You really hate him," Shuuhei commented.

"He hates me so it's only fair."

"But that's not healthy for a squad. You can't have two conflicting top officers or else it would be chaos."

"What would give you the idea we're conflicting?"

"I hear it from people I know in your squad. Plus," he added, "It's obvious to all the taichou and fukutaichou during meetings. Maybe you should try to be on better terms with Ichimaru-taichou. And then maybe, he'll be willing to give you a day off."

"Yeah but a day off is not worth it if I have to kiss his ass. So I'll just keep working my ridiculous hours."

Shuuhei shook his head at her stubbornness. He knew Midori would figure out other ways to deal with Ichimaru but he was beginning to think that hardly any of them would be legal. Ever since they had started dating again, he could tell that she was things keeping to herself, things that were bothering her. But she never told him because "they didn't affect him in any way" and she "wanted to deal with them herself". Despite her display of stubbornness, she could very soon break under all the stress. Shuuhei didn't know that he was the only reason why she was still together.

Midori stretched and glanced at the man. "Since Ichimaru won't ever give me a day off, why don't I just skip today and spend time with you?"

"You're not," Shuuhei responded. "I'll force you to go."

"What if I persuade you?"

"How are you going to—!"

He wondered why he had bothered asking. It should have been obvious, knowing her dirty mind. She pushed him against the wall and leaned her whole body against his in a provocative manner. Now, the fukutaichou of Squad Nine blushed furiously as Midori smirked. Whatever she had done had triggered a few dirty thoughts of his own. Still, Shuuhei had some control of his raging hormones and told her with some effort, "You're still going."

Midori sighed and started to move away. Suddenly, his arms wrapped around her and pulled them back into the same tantalizing position. The blonde blushed as she gasped at the sudden feel of everything.

"We can go in a minute," Shuuhei said in a husky voice as he pressed her against the wall and then added, "or two." He kissed her on the lips. As said before, he only had _some _control of his raging hormones.

* * *

"She's not breaking the way I hoped," Aizen told Gin. He had came to Ichimaru's office to talk with the silver-haired man about a certain woman he had developed an interest in. The woman in question was Ichimaru's fukutaichou and who else saw her the most than Ichimaru himself.

"What did ya expect? She's stubborn." Ichimaru leaned back in his chair.

"As stubborn as she is, she will break. I can't completely have her under my command unless—!"

"She does and you rearrange the broken pieces," Ichimaru finished the sentence. "Obviously there are still outside influences that you need to get rid of."

"Kyouraku's out of the picture," Aizen stated. "She's been so busy working for you that they haven't had a chance to talk. She's been isolated from everyone else she knows."

Ichimaru smirked. "Are you sure, Aizen-sama?"

Aizen was certain that she had been. He occupied her mornings and Ichimaru piled work on her so she couldn't leave her job until midnight. That left only left six hours for rest and any tired shinigami would take advantage of that period to prepare for the same rigorous routine the next day. Midori would have felt alone at this point and would have already snapped. Then Aizen would help her, the only one that could. Soon, she would see his perspective on things and become a loyal follower. But his plan shouldn't be taking so long. He didn't understand why she was still functioning like nothing was wrong. Then the answer came through the door.

Shuuhei entered the room, Midori over his shoulders. "Sorry for the intrusion, Ichimaru-taichou, Aizen-taichou, but I was making sure Midori got to her job on time."

Midori wanted to say something but couldn't; she was trying to stop her giggling. She was still trying to get over the thrill of jumping and running on rooftops while dangling over someone's shoulder.

Ichimaru smirked. "There you go."

Aizen cleared his throat, catching Midori's and Shuuhei's attention. "Ono-dono, would you come to my office around noon? I want to discuss something with you."

Midori nodded, wondering what could it be.

* * *

At around noon, Midori made her way down the hallways of Squad Five headquarters. She was nervous to see Aizen for the second time today. Why did she need to deal with him more than necessary? It was bad enough that she was having visions about Aizen despite the fact Shuuhei was in the picture. Then she thought about the other illusion and shuddered at the thought. Midori didn't want the illusions to be premonitions about the future.

Realizing that she was in front of the office door, she knocked and said, "Aizen-taichou?"

"Come in."

Midori opened the door and entered the room. Closing the door slowly, she studied the office. It was like what she imagined. Everything was so neatly organized and pack; Aizen's desk was clear of paperwork and so was his fukutaichou's. The sunlight poured into the room through open shades, giving the room a brighter feel. Aizen was sitting at his desk and told her to bring up a chair. Midori did as she was told and Aizen take out two bento boxes.

"I didn't want you to be hungry," Aizen explained after she sat. "Choose which one you want."

Midori chose the one that had sushi and reached for it. Then they started to eat. The woman didn't know what to do. She felt awkward. She had been alone with Aizen before but it was only during training, not little lunch dates. She glanced up at Aizen, wondering what he was thinking about. He was almost done eating.

"I was glad to see you were happy this morning," Aizen stated. "You've been down the last few weeks."

Was she that readable?

"Really? Sorry if I worried you but I'm actually alright, Aizen-taichou."

"Ono-dono, I know that something is bothering you. This morning during training, you looked you were about to break down. Remember what I told you a few months ago? You can trust me with anything."

"I'm okay. Really."

"Is Shuuhei hurting you in some way?" Aizen asked bluntly. He realized that if he didn't get straight down to business, the conversation would get nowhere.

Her brown eyes widened and she quickly shook her head. "No. He's been sweet to me the whole time."

"But it's something related to him, isn't it?"

Midori glanced down at the leftover food in her box, shifting it around with her chopsticks. "Sort of. But if I told you, you might think that I'm crazy."

"I won't. Trust me."

The woman looked into the man's brown eyes. It felt like he was seeing into the inner depths of her soul, even though she didn't want him to. She often felt this way when he caught her gaze. Vulnerable, defenseless, readable. The woman couldn't understand how his gaze could be so powerful. She wanted to believe it was kindness but it was more than that. When his hand covered hers, she blushed.

He gave her hand a small squeeze. "Midori."

Midori couldn't breakaway from his stare. _What is wrong with me?_

"I'm seeing these, 'illusions'," she finally said, wondering why she was telling him this. But she continued nonetheless. "Every time I see them, Shuuhei is covered in blood and dying. And every time he blames me for it. I know that I might sound crazy because I'm the only one who sees this but—!"

"It's okay," Aizen said, cutting her off. "I believe you."

Midori was surprised by his easy acceptance of this. "You do?"

"Yeah and I don't think they mean anything. I know you love Shuuhei very much. You would never be the cause of his death."

"I know."

"It would hurt you a lot if he died, wouldn't it?"

"Yeah. It would . . ."

Aizen stood and walked around the desk, the only thing that was separating them. Midori eyed the taichou, not sure what to expect. Then she gasped when his arms wrapped around her. She closed her eyes, hoping that this wasn't that illusion she had been having, hoping he wouldn't say anything. But he did, in the voice she always heard: "Don't worry about it."

If one illusion came true, what about the other? She shifted her feet on the floor. "I should go now," Midori said. "Ichimaru-taichou probably has a lot of work for me and all."

"Understandable," Aizen stated, unraveling his arms from her body. "I'll see you tomorrow for your training?"

Midori nodded. "Yes. I won't miss it."

* * *

It was only eleven o'clock at night when Midori decided to stop doing paperwork. She wasn't going to finish Ichimaru's share tonight. Instead, she was going to have a long talk with her taichou about how unfairly she was treated.

As she walked to Ichimaru's living quarters, she prepared her long speech about how their differences and hatred should not interfere with their duties to their squad. She had come up with a few minor suggestions and ideas to improve their partnership while working such as **no talking to each other** and **staying out of the other's way**. She nodded to herself. Those two rules were golden in her book.

As she approached his quarters, she saw that the door was slightly ajar and light was pouring out through the crack. At first, she didn't care what her taichou was doing. She was just going to go in there. But then Shuuhei's name was said.

Midori stopped moving and her eyebrows furrowed. She thought she was hearing things but then she heard his name a second time. Slowly and carefully, the woman made her way to the door and peered inside. The crack was very small; the only person she could see was Ichimaru. There had to be more people, though, or else her taichou would be talking to no one. She moved away from the crack enough to be out of view. The fukutaichou began her eavesdropping.

"You really want Shuuhei dead, huh?" Ichimaru asked. "I guess there's no other way to break her. You've been wanting to try out that experimental hollow. Maybe we should use it tomorrow."

Midori clasped a hand over her mouth to prevent any gasps and yelps from escaping. She was so busy trying to mute her hyperventilating that she didn't hear the second person's reply. She couldn't believe that her taichou were plotting Shuuhei's death. He had made the threat before but she had taken it as an idle one. Her mind was in panic mode and her heart pounded fast. Midori wanted to leave but instead of doing that, she listened some more.

"The plan's not bad. Shuuhei will go on a mission and die. No one would suspect foul play because that sort of thing happens. And Midori will finally break. To be honest, I'm just looking forward to seeing her face when she hears the tragic news."

The woman bit the bottom of her lip. _What should I do? What _can_ I do? I have no proof of this to show anyone. _

The door slid opened and she turned around. She saw Ichimaru standing there. However, the lights were off and there was no second person. Her eyebrows furrowed. What she had heard and seen before could not have been an illusion. They could not be. Otherwise, that would mean something was seriously wrong with her.

Ichimaru smirked. "Midori, what a surprise to see you here. Last time you came by my quarters this late at night was to do the unspeakable, if you know what I mean."

Midori narrowed her eyes and stood, clenching her fists. "I know what you're up to."

"What do you mean?" Ichimaru asked innocently.

"I heard you! You want to kill Shuuhei to get to me!"

Ichimaru chuckled. "I can't believe you would think so lowly of me. Doing such a thing would make me_ inhumane_, right?"

The woman gaped at him in shock. She did consider him inhuman and she did think lowly of him. He had forced her to have sex with him and he had threatened to kill Shuuhei, hinting he had no problem killing a shinigami. "I'm leaving before I do something I shouldn't do." She turned around and walked down the steps.

Ichimaru smirked. "Make sure you hold onto Shuuhei tight tonight. You never know what tomorrow might bring."

Midori stopped walking, not sure if that was a warning or a threat or words of wisdom.

"See ya at work, _Midori_."

The woman heard the door slide closed.

* * *

The next morning, Midori was taking a hot shower in Shuuhei's home.

She was thinking about last night and whether the plotting was only an illusion. The woman wanted it to be but then she wondered if the conversation with Ichimaru was the illusion. She tried to isolate the two. If the conversation with Ichimaru really did happened and the conversation she had eavesdropped on did not, then Shuuhei was in no _real _danger.

But if the conversation she had eavesdropped on was true, then she couldn't allow Shuuhei to go on a mission today. As of right now, Midori knew her boyfriend did not have any assignments. Still, he could get one at any time. That was another thing. How would she know when he got one and left? That was something luck would decide today. She wondered how much she had.

There was a knock on the bathroom door.

"How much longer are you going to be in there for?" Shuuhei asked. "I have to go in thirty minutes."

"Um, I can come out now and finish my shower later."

" . . . On second thought, you want to shower together?"

Midori blushed. She was going to see him completely naked and vice-versa. Her face turned redder at the thought and she told him to come in. When the doorknob turned, her heart started pounding at a ridiculous speed, proving to herself her own nervousness. The woman knew she would see him like this eventually but she always thought it would be at night in a dark room.

Midori heard the door open and close. Soon came the sound of clothing being discarded and thrown on the floor. Her heart continued racing with uncertainty as she heard his footsteps. When he pulled the curtain back, she glanced downward. She could hear the curtain going back in place and him moving toward her. _Of course he's comfortable_, she thought. _He had a few girlfriends and did all sorts of stuff with them for all I know. _

Her brown eyes widened at the sight of something she wasn't ready to see yet and she quickly looked up. Shuuhei was standing right in front of her, examining her. The blonde wanted to die, wondering what possessed her to give him the okay.

"You look beautiful, Midori," Shuuhei finally said. He looked at her face and saw it was getting redder by the second. "Is this uncomfortable for you?"

Midori shook her head. "No," she said, that high pitched voice coming back again. She turned around. "I just didn't expect a few things, that's all." Her blush deepened at the image in her mind. _Can guys actually be that big?_ She asked herself in disbelief. The only man she could compare him to was Ichimaru and she didn't remember what his was like, which meant she did a good job blocking that part from her memories. She wanted to double check but didn't have the strength to._ Maybe I'm seeing things again._

"You want me to scrub your back?" Shuuhei asked. She nodded and he reached for the bar of soap to attend to the task.

A minute later, she was scrubbing his back. As she scrubbed, she remembered what she heard last night. "Can you do me a favor?" she asked.

"Sure. Anything."

"If Tousen-taichou asks you to go on a mission, can you tell him no?"

Shuuhei looked back at her, confusion written on his face due to her request. "I don't think I can do that. It's a shinigami's duty, you know?"

Midori sighed. "I see." _Then there's nothing I can do. Damn, I not even sure I'm going to lose him today. What's wrong with me?_

"Is something wrong, Midori?"

"Nothing, I'm just worried."

"Okay–-!" Suddenly, he felt Midori wrap her arms around him, pressing her chest against his back. It one of those death-grip sort of hugs, like she believed if she held him tight enough he wouldn't leave her. Shuuhei knew something was bothering his girlfriend but she wasn't going to tell him anything soon. And if she wasn't going to share, there was nothing he could do. "Did you talk to Ichimaru yesterday?" He suddenly asked.

"I did. And he gave me the day off today." That was a lie but it was the only way to buy herself time to think and plan what she would do today.

"Really?" He was surprised that his suggestion had turned out so well. "Too bad I'm not off, huh?"

"Yeah."

* * *

Ichimaru grinned at Aizen. "Right now, Midori's an hour late for work and you're telling me that she skipped your training session this morning? I think she's avoiding us. I guess your 'perfect hypnosis' wasn't so perfect."

Aizen stared at her. "Or your last few words last night are the reason for this."

Ichimaru shrugged. "Could be."

* * *

Midori approached Squad Nine Headquarters, moving quickly. She was planning something big and she could not afford any mistakes. If she didn't do the operation fast enough, she would be interrupted and apprehended. Of course, if everything ran smoothly, Midori could escape the Seireitei and maybe go into hiding like Urahara Kisuke did. Maybe even go to the human world and live the rest of her life there. And then, maybe, when things cooled down, she could be with Shuuhei in peace.

The fukutaichou was anxious as she told Tousen that Yamamoto needed Shuuhei for something. She was even more anxious that it took forever to find Shuuhei. She was very nervous as she led her lover to Squad One headquarters. When she thought about what she was planning to do, she realized how she had seriously jumped off the deep end. In the Gotei Thirteen, the things she was plotting would be called traitorous, immoral, criminal, unjustified.

"Did Tousen-taichou give you an assignment yet?" She asked casually, slowing her pace down a bit.

"Yeah, he did. Just this morning."

The woman winced. "When do you leave?"

"In about an hour . . . Don't tell me you lied to my taichou back then. Do you know how bad that is?"

"Trust me. Lying to a taichou is nothing compared to the things I'm about to do."

Shuuhei frowned. "What do you mean?"

Midori stopped walking and turned around. She looked him dead in the eye. "I'm going to do you a favor right now. Though it's not the most legal thing to do. You have to forgive me because in the long run, I'm saving your life."

Shuuhei watched her unsheathe her zanpakutou and immediately reached for his. Midori couldn't be serious. He couldn't believe she would actually do what she looked like she was about to do. When she said her shikai command, he knew then that she meant business. She made the first attack and he blocked.

"What's your problem?" He yelled as he pushed her away with his sword.

"I don't have time to explain it to you right now," Midori replied and attacked again. "Just let me hurt you bad enough so you can't go!"

"What?"

Midori shook her head and struck again. _I must sound pretty crazy_, she thought as she swung her zanpakutou. _Then again seeing things that aren't there is pretty crazy already. So technically, when I put it that way, I am crazy. Oh, dammit! I'm taking such a big chance here. _She kicked Shuuhei in the side, sending him into the wall.

The woman waited for him to get up. _At the same time, what if I'm actually saving him from death? Then the risk should be worth it, right? It's not too late to turn back._

Shuuhei stood, his blue eyes on her.

_But I don't want to be sorry if I do turn back and he dies today. Because then it will be my fault. _

Midori started to attack as fast as she could, trying to find an opening. Shuuhei dodged and blocked to the best of his abilities. He saw his chance and struck her wrist with the back of his blade. He wasn't going to harm her; he couldn't even if he wanted to.

The woman dropped her zanpakutou and looked at Shuuhei in surprise, thinking what could she do at this point.

"Midori, what's wrong with you?"

His guard dropped at that moment and she took advantage of the opportunity.

"Bakudo 9, Strike!"

The red light engulfed Shuuhei. It was meant to paralyze him but he slowly began to move. This time, he was strong enough to actually fight it. And Midori realized that. She knew she had to do her attack now or else she would lose precious time. She said the incantation that Aizen had taught her so well, hoping the spell would not over do it.

"Sprinkled on the bones of the beast! Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring! Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm! The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle! Hadou 63, Raikouhou!"

* * *

Gin was sitting in his office. All the paperwork was on his desk but he didn't look at any of them. He was waiting for his fukutaichou to arrive. The man knew what she wanted. After all, he had heard of her encounter with Shuuhei. It was, after all, the latest news in the Seireitei. Nobody knew where the culprit was.

He was surprised that she had attempted such high level of kido. Obvious, Aizen had been doing a good job training her. However, even though she had managed to perform the kido, it wasn't to its fullest potential. Shuuhei was still in one piece and was currently in the care of Squad Four. Ichimaru knew that was how she wanted her lover to be: alive and whole. Him, on the other hand, she wanted to spill his blood.

"Speaking of the devil," he muttered as he felt her reiatsu.

The door opened and Midori stood there, her brown eyes on him. Behind her was some of his squad members knocked out. Apparently, they had tried to stop her and failed miserably.

The taichou grinned sadistically. He could see how much fun he would have in a little bit. "Midori, what a surprise. I thought you decided to skip work today. Is something wrong? You look upset."

Midori outstretched her arms, palms facing Ichimaru. "I'll kill you today."

"Is that so? Then we're not so different."

"Don't compare me to you!"

"Why not? You're just as twisted, you're just as dark. Maybe that's why I hate you. I would probably hate me if I met myself." Ichimaru's grin widened when he saw her shocked look. "What are you waiting for? Aren't you going to kill me, Midori?"

Midori gritted her teeth. "Sprinkled on the bones of the beast! Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring! Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm! The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle! Hadou 63, Raikouhou!"

Ichimaru quickly moved out of the way, curious to see what the damage would be. There was a large hole in the office, giving Ichimaru a nice view of outside. He looked back at his fukutaichou. In a matter of seconds, he threw Midori out of the hole. Ichimaru then stepped through the wall, his gaze on her.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Ichimaru said. "I can't believe you would actually try to kill your own taichou."

Midori got off the ground.

"Shoot to death, Shinso!"

Ichimaru extended the blade and swung it. Quickly, Midori dodged the blade and charged at her taichou. He swung the blade a second time. This time, she jumped up into the air, drawing her own zanpakutou.

"Strike, Raimitsu!" Her blade transformed and started sparking.

Ichimaru swung his blade upward.

Midori gasped and blocked with her zanpakutou. The force knocked her into the ground, the wind getting knocked out of her. She struggled to breathe and Raimitsu tightened the bindings on her arm to get her attention. But the woman paid no heed to the warning. Soon she was kicked over onto her back and Shinso ripped through her shoulder. Midori screamed.

Ichimaru stared down at her, ignoring the gathering crowd of his squad members. "So tell me: what do you have to gain from this?"

Midori grabbed the blade, hoping her taichou wouldn't let go of the hilt of his weapon. "This isn't about me. Hadou 31, shakkahou!"

Ichimaru let go of Shinso to avoid the blast. Once the blade shrunk back to normal size, the woman pulled it out and got off the ground. Then she threw Shinso aside. She could care less about her wound. She had to finish what she started here first. It was clear that the watching squad members would not interfere because they were scared of her. Still, the woman wondered how much time she had before a few taichou showed up. The Seireitei was on high alert because of her.

Midori laughed and slowly moved toward her taichou. "You don't have your zanpakutou, Ichimaru. What are you going to do now?"

Ichimaru moved in and punched her cheek, her head turning completely. The woman wiped the blood at the corner of her mouth and threw a punch back. Ichimaru caught her fist and smirked. Out of retaliation, Midori swung with her sword. She just wanted to cut the man once. Was that too much for luck to grant?

The fukutaichou tackled the man to the ground. The woman placed one hand on his shoulder to hold him in place and raised Raimitsu high. Then she grinned triumphantly. She had him and no one could stop.

"You always wanted to know how far I'd go to protect his life," Midori stated through clenched teeth, trying to slow her ragged breathing. She didn't need to state who she was referring to. It was common knowledge between the two of them.

"So kill me," Ichimaru challenged. "Don't let me believe you're all talk or else I'll be disappointed."

She let out a cry of frustration and brought her zanpakutou down. Her eyes widened when she saw that she only cut his cheek. _I missed?_ Suddenly, Ichimaru kicked her away from him. Midori expected to hit the ground but was surprised that someone had caught her.

She looked up, first seeing the vibrant pink haori and straw hat. "Kyouraku?"

The taichou of Squad Eight looked down at her, his face solemn. He readjusted his grip, taking a firm hold on both of her arms.

She tried to get away from the man but suddenly realized that she couldn't. "Can you let go of me?" She asked.

"I can't do that."

"What a pity," Ichimaru commented, picking up his bloody Shinso. "Well, I guess you're very lucky, Midori."

Anger. Hatred. And misery. Midori kicked and thrashed in Kyouraku's arms. However, Kyouraku kept to his word and did not let go. She was in enough trouble already. Assault on Hisagi Shuuhei and now attempted murder of Ichimaru Gin. She did not need actual murder added to her list of crimes. His friend had jumped off the deep end a long time ago and he was there to make sure she didn't do anything worse. He felt that this was his fault; he had suggested Midori for the position of fukutaichou of Squad Three and know she was going to lose it.

Kyouraku looked up and saw Byakuya and Zaraki coming over. He could already sense more of the taichou's reiatsu coming closer.

"We need to properly restrain her, Kyouraku-san," Byakuya stated above the woman's screams. "She's out of control."

The woman struggled to get away from the two men, threatening to kick Kyouraku in the groin. Ichimaru was only ten feet away and that was close enough for her. "Let go of me!" She screamed. "Let me kill the fucking bastard! Let me kill him!"

Though her throat was getting sore, Midori continued her screams and laments. She continued her kicks, she continued her thrashing. She just wanted to be dropped so she could wipe that grin off Ichimaru's face. Despite her screaming, she could hear the surrounding taichou talking. They were five of them here besides Ichimaru and they were trying to pin the fukutaichou down on the ground. She heard them say, "Hold her arm still!" When she glanced over and saw Kurotsuchi Mayuri approaching with a syringe, she fought harder than before. But with five taichou holding her down and making sure one of her arms were securely in place, the outcome was inevitable.

* * *

"Midori."

The ex-fukutaichou looked out of her cell. Two days ago she had been placed in this dark place and she hadn't had anyone to talk to. The guards only came and went without a word to deliver her food. She believed that visitors were not allowed to visit her. She looked up from the floor, surprised to see Kyouraku standing there. "How's Shuuhei?"

"He's fine." That wasn't what the taichou wanted to talk to his friend about but if she had any worries, he would get rid of them.

"And what happened to the group that went to deal with that hollow?"

"They died."

The blonde sighed and tilted her head back against the wall. "So my actions were justified."

"Midori," Kyouraku started. "They're talking about your execution."

"I know."

"I'll try to see if they would give you a lesser sentence."

"Why bother? The Central 46 don't give a damn about me. They know I attacked first in both situations and it wasn't to defend myself either."

"I have it all figured out. I'll ask the other taichou to see if they know any information that can help you."

"I've stared death in the face once before."

"Look, you are not going to die." Kyouraku attempted to walk away to make sure he got the last word but her mouth was a bit quicker.

"I have nothing to live for," she muttered.

The taichou stopped walking. "You want to lose Shuuhei as well as your life?"

Midori looked back down, narrowing her eyes. Kyouraku had no right to bring up Shuuhei. He didn't know anything about them or her previous predicament or so on. He had no right to use Shuuhei as an excuse for her to live. He had no right at all. Yet she couldn't tell the taichou that as he walked away because a part of her wanted to use that excuse as well.

**A/N: I put a lot of thought into this chapter and I hope it turned out good. First of all, I never really planned on Midori attacking Shuuhei. That was a spur of the moment thing. And I never thought that Gin would actual make his "idle" threat happen. That was just an idea I had while writing this. To be honest, a lot things that happened wasn't what I thought would happen. All I knew that by the end of this chapter, Midori would be sent to prison for attempting murder of Ichimaru. Originally, Midori was suppose to attack Ichimaru for him threatening to tell Shuuhei about that night but that changed. See this past-revealed arc was suppose to occur over a span of a few years, not lots of years. Plus, I made Midori tell Shuuhei in the last chapter about that night, something that I mentioned I did not originally plan on. So what you have here, from the beginning up to the part where Midori attacks Ichimaru, is a series of events that wasn't what I originally planned. **

**Anyway, "Hadou 63 Raikouhou" is also known as "Thunder Roar Cannon" incase some of you didn't know. And thanks to SweetYuya, I3Bleach, Foca, and cheeky half-demon for reviewing. I appreciate them. And thanks to those who added this story to their favorites/alerts lists so far. **


	12. Chapter 11: Moving Forward

**A/N: I know. This update is way overdue. Chapter 11 is the chapter that won't be my favorite. I don't like the way it turned out but hopefully you won't mind its crappiness. Chapter 12, Meet the Parents, should be a lot better 'cause get who's coming? Find out after you hit the next button at the bottom of the page. Meanwhile, enjoy this chappie.**

**CHAPTER 11—Moving Forward:**

Midori sat up in the hospital bed in her dark room, the only light coming from the sunset.

A nurse had told her she missed the three taichou's defection about an hour ago. To think she missed every fight and battle to stop the Gotei Thirteen from falling apart and to save Kuchiki Rukia. To think she missed Aizen's final speech about becoming a god and his descent to Hueco Mundo with his two loyal followers. To think that she could have been his third follower.

If she hadn't went to jail, then . . . She retched at the idea. She didn't want to know what would have happened over the last twenty-something years.

All she knew was that she had spent at least twenty years in prison to preserve Shuuhei's life. During those years, she had been training herself in prison, doing pushups, sit-ups and so on. It was also in prison that Raimitsu appeared to her more and more. Raimitsu was the only one she could talk to and Raimitsu helped train her mentally.

When she came out a few years ago, she changed her whole appearance by cutting her hair short and dying it green. Then Yamamoto ordered her to work under Komamura as an unseated member. She never hated the Gotei Thirteen so badly. Her opinions were out there, criticizing many of the taichou and fukutaichou and she has picked fights with the lower seats who demanded respect out of her. She made sure that they knew who they were dealing with.

Midori had trained extra hard just to push her way through the ranks again. All the years she had spent in prison, people had became stronger and the gaps were harder to overcome. But eventually she reached sixth seat in Squad Seven. By then, her attitude had softened and her punk image had disappeared. She still had little respect but she wasn't picking fights as often and wasn't being outspoken against her superiors. This change was due to a long talk she had with Komamura and a few harsh words from Shuuhei.

Shuuhei.

The only guy she would give everything up for because she had decided that he was worth it. And that was why she let him go that day. If he was really hers, he would come back even if it took forever. After all, she came back to him after a long time.

The door opened and the lights flickered on.

"Shuuhei," she said, sounding a little too excited.

"Wow, you sound like you're in a good mood," he muttered, scratching the back of his neck. "I suppose you heard what happened."

"I did." She looked over and saw the flowers perched on the small table. "Did you bring these?"

He glanced at the flowers. "Yesterday."

Her eyes lit up. "Thank you."

Shuuhei raised his eyebrows. "What kind of medication are you on? You seem _too _happy."

"Ecstasy," she said, her voice thick with sarcasm. She then smirked at him as she stretched her arms above her head. "So tell me, are you sad about your taichou's departure?"

"Just surprised by it," Shuuhei stated. "I wasn't expecting it from him. But I plan on bringing him back."

"Interesting . . . How are Izuru and Momo? Devastated?"

"Well, Izuru is sort of down about it."

Midori snorted. "I have to ask Izuru if there was anything good about Ichimaru."

Shuuhei sighed. "Midori, you need to be a little more sensitive to the situation. I know you didn't like Ichimaru but Izuru admired him."

"Yeah, Izuru admired him so much that he stopped listening to reason. The same goes for Momo. Admiration is the furthest thing from understanding. They worked under them and couldn't see it with their own eyes. At least I saw that Ichimaru for what he was."

Midori sighed when she saw the confused look on Shuuhei's face. "I never told you, did I? Might as well tell you now, since he's gone and all."

* * *

A few days later, Midori was walking around the Seireitei, for once feeling that there was no weight on her shoulders. She felt left out though; she was possibly the only shinigami who was happy that the three taichou, well former taichou, were gone. Though she had played it off, she didn't want to face Izuru or Momo because they had opposite opinions on the turn of events.

A few days ago, she had told Shuuhei and Kyouraku, who came later, everything—from the time she became fukutaichou of Squad Three till she was apprehended. Kyouraku was upset that she hadn't told him anything about the illusions and threats and that she allowed herself to work under Ichimaru in the first place. And Shuuhei, she didn't know how he had taken it. He had been mostly listening. At least she told him why she had attacked him the way she did.

Then, just yesterday, she had been questioned about the night she almost died and what she knew about the defection. She told them what they wanted to know. Not like it meant anything now; the traitors had already done their thing and left. The information she had discovered that night was utterly useless.

The woman sighed.

Now that the weight had been lifted, Midori didn't know what to do about Shuuhei. She wanted to get back together with him but at the same time, the relation was always on-off, on-off. If they did get back together, that would be the third time they were 'on'. And the third time was suppose to be the charm. But then she thought about how fragile their current relationship was now. Before she had been attacked, they hardly talked except to reprimand or insult the other. The only time they had a decent conversation was at the hospital and that was because she had suddenly decided to open up.

The blonde shook her head at the memory. Maybe she had been on some serious medication.

Midori saw Shuuhei round the corner, talking to Izuru. She stopped in her tracks, considering her only two options: say hello or run away. Surprisingly, she took the former.

"Hey! Hisagi!" She yelled, making her way over to where the two men stood. "Can we talk?"

Hisagi took a step forward. "I guess."

"I'll leave you two alone," Izuru slowly said, giving Midori a strange look. Last time he remembered, the blonde and his friend were not on good terms. The fact that she wanted to talk to him was unnerving. He hoped this wasn't one her plans to attack the fukutaichou of Squad Nine. He shook his head at the idea and walked off.

"What is it?" Hisagi asked when they were alone.

Midori kicked a rock. "A while ago I asked you question and you didn't get the chance to answer it."

"What was it?"

"You don't hate me, right?" She asked, sort of embarrassed by the question. She averted her gaze, finding the ground suddenly interesting. It was better than looking him in the face.

Shuuhei scratched the back of his head and looked the other way. ". . . Not really."

The woman shifted her feet. "Good 'cause I don't really hate you either." Sighing and realizing there was no reason for her to stay anymore, she turned around and started walking away. "That's all I wanted to know, Hisagi."

Before she could get far, Shuuhei grabbed her by both shoulders and turned her around. He then gazed into her brown eyes. Already he could see her cheeks tinted with pink but had no idea what she was thinking. "I have a question for you, too."

"I'm not interested," Midori said immediately.

"You don't even know what I'm about to ask."

Her blush deepened and her gaze was cast downward. "I'm assuming that it's dating related and I'm letting you know ahead of time that I'm not interested."

Dating, a topic that had crossed Shuuhei's mind a few times but not one he was going to venture into any time soon. That could easily wait. What he had in mind could not for it was killing his male ego. "It has nothing to do with dating. I wanted to ask you for sparring sessions since _you_ have bankai."

"Wow," Midori grinned, remembering when he had been training her. "The tables have turned."

"Can you do it or not?" He reiterated, wanting to get this over with.

"I can do it even if it means seeing more of you," she muttered, glancing up at him again. Truth was, she was happy to have time to spend with the man. She just didn't want to sound too enthusiastic about the idea. She folded her arms. "What time is more convenient for you?"

"Night I guess." Why? Because most shinigami took that time to sleep which meant no one could really stumble across the training. Hence the two of them could do a lot of things and chances were, get away with it. He could lose miserably to Midori and not embarrass himself. Midori could probably show him her bankai without the worry of anyone seeing it. After all that was what he was curious about.

" . . . You want to start tonight?" The blonde asked.

"I thought you were healing from your wounds."

"Squad Eleven made me tough," she told him, grinning widely.

"It also made you battle hungry," Shuuhei muttered.

"I'll take it as a compliment," the woman decided. "That's the only reason I'm more powerful than you are right now."

Shuuhei's left eye started to twitch ever so slightly and he could tell that the third seat found it amusing.

* * *

That night, for the fifth time, after another successfully tackle, Midori straddled Shuuhei, frowning down at him. "Seriously, if you're not going to try, let me know. I'm not going to waste my time, Hisagi."

He sighed. _What's wrong with me? _He asked himself. He remembered when the pinning had happened the first time. _That's probably it_, he thought. She had tackled him and straddled him. Then she had leaned down, shifting her body against his in a suggestive manner. The fukutaichou did not believe the woman did it on purpose because there she was, right above him, criticizing him for not trying hard enough. If only she knew how badly dirty thoughts plagued his mind.

"How about we call it a night?" He finally said, unable to concentrate.

Midori sighed and got off him. "Fine. See ya."

"Hold on a sec," he said before she could get away.

The blonde looked at him. "What is it?"

"How did you get bankai?"

"I don't know how to explain that."

"Try to."

The woman sighed again and sat back down on the grass. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Shuuhei take a seat next to her. She looked up at the stars and picked her words. "When I was in prison the first few weeks, it was lonely and I didn't really do much. Then Raimitsu got bored too and started to pop up more and more in my dreams and stuff. He started to train me in this weird 'inner world' so I could control my zanpakutou better when I got out of prison. When I finally got out, I trained by myself until I finally got my bankai. And there you go, another one of my life stories for your listening pleasure."

"And how much training did it take you?" He asked, ready to approximate the amount of time it would take him.

"It took me a few months. But it depends on your zanpakutou. See, Raimitsu is like me. He's battle hungry and wants to become powerful. So that helped in the long run, you know? Your zanpakutou, I don't know about." Midori glanced over. "Since I won't be much help, no more fighting sessions, huh?"

Shuuhei studied the woman but couldn't tell if she was happy or sad about the idea. "Sparring wouldn't hurt," he slowly said, not sure if that was the response she wanted.

"Okay," she said, standing up and stretching her arms. "Again tomorrow night, right?"

"Sure."

The man thought for a minute in silence. "I'm glad we can talk like this again," he admitted.

Midori stared at him, slightly surprised. "As what?"

Shuuhei raised an eyebrow. Another question he wasn't sure what answer would please her. He decided to go for the lesser of the two. "As friends," he replied, scratching his head. He could see that she was contemplating this answer but he couldn't tell if it was in a good way or a bad way. Then he saw that she just accepted his answer, regardless if it went with her opinion or not.

"Alright, then. Night." Midori flashstepped out of the area.

Shuuhei sighed. If he had known she would have left this quickly, he would have continued the sparring. Or maybe provide a different answer. Anything just to keep her by his side a little longer. That was all he wanted.

* * *

Shunsui was in his home, sipping some good sake he had. After a tough day at work, he needed something to ease his stress. It would have been nice if his fukutaichou had joined him but she had said no, that she had more important things to do. He had also asked Ukitake if he wanted to come over but his friend had other matters to take care of. Everyone was seemed busy tonight. He was beginning to wonder if anyone was free.

As if an answer from above, there was a knock. He could sense who the reiatsu belonged to. "Come in, Midori."

The blonde woman opened the door and walked inside. "Hello, Kyouraku."

"Want to join me?" Kyouraku asked, pointing to the bottle of sake on the table.

In a few minutes, Midori was sipping sake from her glass. "I haven't had any sake since the hospital," she said, savoring the taste. It was much better than what they served at the pub.

"Well, what brings you here?"

Midori sat up straighter, suddenly remembering the reason why she came. "I wanted to ask you something," she stated.

"Go ahead."

"After telling you about what happened so long ago, I realized that I have no idea how you got me out of execution."

"You want to know that badly?"

"Obviously," Midori muttered. "How'd you do it?"

"I kind of convinced them that you were not in the right state of mind," Kyouraku admitted sheepishly.

Midori could feel her eye twitching. "Excuse me?"

"I'm trying to put this lightly. You see, I figured that if I could prove something that would work in your favor, they might let up on you. So I asked around and found two very reliable people. One was able to say there had been tension between you and Ichimaru before you were even working together. The other one was able to verify you had been to the infirmary, claiming you were seeing things that were not there, proving that you had mental problems."

"Okay," Midori said, not liking the idea that she had been made out to be crazy. Despite that, she brushed it aside; she was more curious about the two other people who saved her. "The last person is obviously Unohana-taichou. But who's the other one?"

Kyouraku paused for dramatic effect, wanting the suspense to thicken. He could see how Midori eagerly waited for the identity of her other savior. He took a sip of sake before settling the cup on the table. He looked her in the eye and said with a smirk, "Kuchiki Byakuya."

The suspense was worth the expression on her face. _Does that mean that I have to treat him with respect? _She asked herself. And the whole time, she couldn't stand being near her uptight savior. _The irony._

**A/N: That's it. Thanks to cheeky half-demon, Foca, and SweetYuya for reviewing. Enjoy the next chapter and hopefully my future updates won't take long. And don't forget to REVIEW! Yeah. :)**


	13. Chapter 12: Meet the Parents

**CHAPTER 12—Meet the Parents:**

"I'm going to miss you guys," Midori told Toushirou and Rangiku one morning.

"Really?" Rangiku said. "I'm going to miss you, too!"

"Maybe I should throw a party at my place tonight," Midori suggested. "Before you guys go."

Toushirou and Rangiku had told their third seat about the new assignment they had gotten. The two had to go into the human world and watch out for any attacks on Karakura Town. Besides them, Renji, Ikkaku, and Yumichika were also going. To Midori, it sounded like a party. There would be the ryoka, the ones that she had wanted to see since day one. She wished she could go.

"Why are you in such a good mood?" Toushirou asked Midori.

"Because she's been spending time with Shuuhei," Rangiku smirked.

"It's not like that," Midori quickly said. "We're just friends."

"Really?" Matsumoto teased. "What about yesterday?"

Toushirou tried his best to tune the two blondes out, not in the mood to hear what they had to say.

"What about yesterday?" Midori challenged.

"Shuuhei had his arms around you."

"That's nothing."

"Right after Yumichika said you looked beautiful. I think's that what you call a jealous ex."

"It's not like that!"

The door opened and Shuuhei walked in. Apparently, Toushirou was the only one who acknowledged his presence in the room; Matsumoto and Midori were too deep in their debate to notice that their main subject was within hearing.

"Seriously, why don't the two of you just get it out of your system and fuck each other?"

"We're just friends!" Midori protested.

"Shuuhei's hot! Don't use that 'friends' excuse and try—!"

Shuuhei cleared his throat loudly and the women sheepishly looked at him. He couldn't recall a time that he heard women openly discussing a topic about him and sex. It was somewhat flattering but it was also awkward. When he stared at Midori, her face got redder and redder until she had to look somewhere else.

Rangiku laughed nervously. "We were talking about another Shuuhei in our squad."

Midori sighed, knowing that Shuuhei wasn't buying it. "What do you want, Hisagi?"

Shuuhei walked over to the blonde and placed a hand on the top of her head, shaking her head slightly. "I heard some people are looking for you. They should be coming here anytime now."

Midori frowned. "Who?"

"I don't know. I heard from Renji."

The door was opened by a lesser seat in Squad Ten. "Ono-dono, you have two visitors," he said and moved aside to let the people through.

In walked a man with grizzled brown hair and even browner eyes. His face showed wrinkles that had developed from sternness and frowning. Next to him was a blonde woman who had crystal blue eyes. Her hair in a high bun and her chin slightly raised, she looked slightly more superior than the surrounding people. Both individuals were wearing expensive kimonos, outfits that those of some sort of nobility could afford. That was something that stuck out to Toushirou, Rangiku, and Shuuhei. They were not soul reapers but members of some important family.

Midori stared in horror as the couple's eyes landed on her. Suddenly the blonde woman rushed forward toward Midori. "Mimi-chan!"

"Mimi-chan?" Shuuhei questioned, glancing at the third seat. Suddenly, the third seat jumped over onto the other side of the couch.

"What are you doing here?" Midori said, not bothering to disguise the anger in her voice. "Over forty years and now you visit me? I don't know what game you're playing at but I'm not going back home with you. I'm not quitting my shinigami duties."

Shuuhei looked at the visitors. _Are these her parents?_

The man groaned and looked at his wife. "Kagami, we don't have time to deal with her stubbornness. She was stubborn then and she's still stubborn now."

"Shinichi-san, we have to be patient with Midori," Ono Kagami said before turning to face her only daughter. "Mimi-chan, we're not going to take you away from your work here. You made us proud."

Shuuhei raised an eyebrow. He didn't believe that the couple could be proud of their daughter. They had been angry with her for going to the Academy and becoming a shinigami. At least, that was what Midori had said. He glanced at Squad Ten's fukutaichou and saw that she was clueless about the whole thing. Apparently, Midori did not go around and flaunt her family.

Midori shook her head. "That's a lie. You never wanted me to be a shinigami!"

"But honey," Kagami said soothingly. "Can you blame us? We didn't want our family name to be tarnished by some scandal. That what happens to all nobility that suddenly wants to be a shinigami. Do you know how ashamed we were when there were stories of you trying to murder Ichimaru Gin going around?"

Midori rolled her eyes. The more she looked at her parents, the more upset she became. They had no reason to be here except to make her life miserable. And that reason was not even good enough for them to show their faces now.

She folded her arms and tapped her foot, her glare not softening. "But _now _you're proud of me?"

"Yes," her mother replied. "Mimi-chan—!"

"Don't call me that here," Midori said.

Her mother raised her eyebrow, giving her daughter a look. "Midori-chan, we're proud of you because you like a hero now. When we heard that Ichimaru Gin was a traitor, it made sense now. You were trying to stop all this from happening and that's why you tried to kill the man. We shared all the wonderful news with our acquaintances. They no longer looked down on us, I mean, you." Kagami stopped and looked at her husband, indicating he should say something. The man sighed.

"We are un-disowning you," he finally stated. "You're part of this family again and you shall be treated like it."

"Why?"

Her father didn't answer the question. "Perhaps you can get married. I know this young man from a very good family. And we need an heir."

"This is what this is about!" Midori said immediately. "You want someone to bang me and get me pregnant!"

Kagami's mouth dropped opened at the use of her daughter's language. "Mimi-chan, there are young ears in the room," her mother said, glancing at Toushirou.

Toushirou looked up, an annoyed expression on his face. "I'm the taichou of this division," he said, wanting to show his maturity and that he was not just some little kid.

The father raised an eyebrow. "You're nobility?"

"No," Toushirou said, not understanding where his social class came in. But he noticed the looks Kagami and Shinichi were exchanging and the looks were not good.

"What about the rest of you?" The father suddenly asked. Reluctantly, Rangiku and Shuuhei admitted they were lower class. The old man nodded. "I see," he said, glancing at his daughter. Midori's brown eyes were on the floor. "Tell me, Midori," her father started. "Is that man with the tattoos your boyfriend?"

"He was," Midori muttered.

"Really?" Shinichi said and then glanced at Shuuhei. "Young man, have you touched my daughter in ways you shouldn't touch a married woman?"

"Excuse me?"

"You can answer. Most of us are adults," he added, staring at Toushirou. Toushirou looked up before returning to his paperwork.

"Why would that matter?" Shuuhei did not want to answer that question. He would lie about it but the truth would probably be written all over his face.

"Midori must be doing something degrading if she's willing to hang out with Rukongai street scum."

Midori widened her eyes. She wasn't shocked at what they said; she was waiting for them to. But she just hadn't expected it to be in front of Shuuhei, Rangiku, and Toushirou. She looked up and saw the glare that the three of them were giving her parents. Her parents looked totally unaffected by it, feigning innocence. The third seat didn't know what to say in this situation to lessen the tension. Midori could already feel traces of her taichou's reiatsu in the room and Shuuhei looked like he was about to charge at them.

Kagami crossed her arms and thought for a bit before turning toward her husband. "Perhaps we can get her to change squads. There's that taichou of nobility, Kuchiki Byakuya."

"Aw yes, perhaps."

That comment did not settle well with the taichou of Squad Ten.

"Leave now," Toushirou said and pointed at the door.

The mother looked at the white-haired young man. "But we're not finished talking to Mimi—!"

"Out," Toushirou repeated icily, "before I force you to get out."

There was a moment of silence.

"Fine," Kagami said. "Midori, we'll discuss important matters with you later." With her husband, the woman left the room.

Midori stood there before going to the door. "I'll be back, Hitsugaya-taichou." She left the room. She needed to have a good talk with her parents.

* * *

It was a full moon tonight and the skies were clear, providing plenty of light. For this reason, Midori decided to take her house party outside. It was a small group that included Matsumoto, Shuuhei, Izuru, Ikkaku, Renji, and Yumichika. Surprisingly, Momo and Toushirou decided to show up. Kyouraku said he might swing by if he had no business to take care of.

Midori came outside, a tray of drinks in her hands. She walked around, allowing the partiers to take one each.

"I'm sorry about my parents earlier," Midori suddenly apologized, sitting down.

"You're telling us now?" Toushirou questioned.

"I'm sorry. I just realize I didn't. I had other things on my mind."

"You're parents came by?" Yumichika said. "That's weird. What are they like?"

Before Midori could answer, Shuuhei replied, "They're the worse versions of Midori. The father has bigger superiority complex. The mother is more fickle and ruder."

"That's make sense," Ikkaku said thoughtfully. "When you combine the two, the end result is Midori."

The blonde hit Ikkaku on the head. "I'm nothing like them!"

"Are they really that bad?" Renji asked.

Matsumoto sighed. "First they asked Shuuhei if he touched Midori in the ways an 'unmarried woman' should not be touched. Then they called me, Shuuhei, and Toushirou 'rukongai street scum'."

The ones who considered this new news stared at the blonde. She looked the away from their stares, folding her arms. _Great_, she thought bitterly. _Now they'll be out to get my mother and father. _Sighing, she looked at Matsumoto. "My parents are just like that. And they only asked that because they didn't want me to 'sully' myself in such an 'unlady-like' manner."

"What did they want to talk to you about?" Matsumoto asked.

Midori sighed. "My father said he wants an heir and he wants one soon. So he said he wanted me to get married and have a family so I can pop out an heir."

"What happened to your brothers?" Shuuhei asked. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. She couldn't seriously be planning to get married anytime soon, nonetheless to another man. He couldn't see that happening and he didn't need to.

"Well, one of them wants to be a bachelor and my parents decided that an illegitimate child is worse that no child. And the other one, well, he's no longer interested in women."

"Seriously?" Rangiku grinned. Midori nodded, almost returning a mischievous smirk. All these years, her parents had treated her brothers like they were the pinnacles of the world. And now, her parents, instead on relying on their wonderful sons, had to rely on their troublesome daughter. At times like this, Midori appreciated irony the most.

Yumichika felt a small amount of reiatsu coming near. "Someone's coming."

It turned out to be an extremely handsome man. Azure hair and golden eyes, the man was a sight to stare at. Except for Momo, the female shinigami gaped in amazement. The men couldn't help but noticed the star-struck women. Was the guy that big of a deal?

The mysterious man stopped in front of Midori and took her hand in his. Then he pecked the back of her hand. "You must be Midori."

The blonde nodded. "And you are?"

"Masakazu," he replied. "Your parents mentioned that you could be my bride."

Matsumoto came over and stepped next to Midori, putting herself out there. "I'm Rangiku. I'm assuming that you're rich."

"I am. Is that a bad thing?"

Rangiku laughed. "Not at all."

"I'm glad." Masakazu looked back at Midori. The blonde woman was from a rich family, had a pretty high status in the Gotei Thirteen, and was decent looking. Maybe with a little more prepping she could actually be very beautiful. Yes, she could be a very beautiful bride indeed.

* * *

The next day, Midori was alone in her taichou's office. It was so depressing without her taichou and fukutaichou around. To add to her melancholy, she was in charge of the Tenth Squad until their return. She wanted to be captain but she always figured her fukutaichou would do all the work. She had learned well from Ichimaru.

The blonde plopped down on the couch and closed her eyes. She was close to sleeping when the door opened up. Peeking with one eye, she saw it was Shuuhei. "What happened now?"

"I came to check on you in case you need help. I've been doing taichou work for a bit now and if you need anything, you can ask."

Midori smiled. "Thanks."

The woman sat up, already sensing that there was more to this meeting than offering help. She patted the seat on the couch next to her. Shuuhei raised an eyebrow before taking seat as far away as the couch would permit. He looked away from her, figuring he was safer without her seeing his face.

"Tell me: are you interested in that Masakazu guy?"

Midori started to swing her legs, feigning disinterest. "Why?"

"Is it too personal a question?"

"I just think it's a weird one."

"It's not when you consider the fact you were drooling over him."

She scoffed, "I was not. If it makes you feel any better, I told my parents this morning I was not interested in him."

"What did they say?"

"That they'll fix it and that by the end of the week, I'll be in love with him."

"Is that so?"

"Heh, don't get the wrong idea. I don't want children anytime soon. Can you imagine how horrible a mother I would be?"

"You might not be that bad," Shuuhei said after a while. Midori looked at the acting taichou in surprise. The man shrugged. "Just a thought . . . Are you going to meet me tonight to spar again?"

Midori looked away. "I can't. I have a date . . . My parents convinced me to go."

Shuuhei nodded. _So much for not being interested in him._

At that moment, the door opened revealing Kagami and Shinichi. Their eyes landed on Shuuhei and then on Midori. Kagami cleared her throat. "I'm glad you're here, Midori. I wanted to talk about what you will wear tonight. Those shinigami robes are not enough."

Shuuhei stood up, already seeing the way Shinichi glared at him. "I'll see you later, Midori."

"If she's not busy," Kagami interrupted. "Now shoo, we have important business to discuss with Mimi-chan."

Shaking his head, Shuuhei left the room. He saw no reason to stay around people who hated his guts.


	14. Chapter 13: Admitting the Truth

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I've been getting homework, staying after school for dance, and freaking out over college applications, SAT II's, and ACTs. And when you add that all with a procrastinator, that's a bad combination. The good news is that I'm done with my other fanfic (just need to post the last chapter!) and I can focus more on this one. The bad news . . . after this, there's not many chapters left. Maybe four or five more if everything goes the way I plan. **

**Another thing I want to say: Authors enjoy lots of things. They love to see that their story had been clicked on X number of times. They love it when they see their stories added to favorite/alert lists and love reviews even more. One thing they don't love is when they see their story -- whether the words have been moved around, some words taken out, other words added -- under another name. All I'm saying is that everyone should try to be original and not steal ideas from others who worked hard to come up with them. It's one thing to be inspired, it's a whole other story to plagiarize. You not only upset the author you stole from but others as well. So don't do it and work hard to come up with your own. **

**Moving past that, enjoy the new update.**

**CHAPTER 13--Admitting the Truth:**

Izuru knew he was Shuuhei's friend. And a friend, he was suppose to have Shuuhei's back on pretty much anything. But as he listened to his friend's newest plan, Izuru wasn't so sure he could do be part of it. For one thing, what if they got caught in the process? Not only would they be yelled at, perhaps even cussed out, but also get the shit knocked out of them. Izuru was not a big fan of that particular consequence, considering who would be brutally beaten. That was why he told Shuuhei:

"I don't think spying on Midori will be a great idea."

"Why?" he asked.

"Midori will probably get mad."

"I'm just making sure that guy doesn't try anything funny."

"But isn't Midori at least on a fukutaichou level? Why would she need us to defend her?"

"You never know," Shuuhei muttered. "Are you coming? If you don't want to, I'll go by myself."

"Fine," Izuru said.

At that moment, there was a knock at the Shuuhei's office door. The acting taichou looked at the door. "Come in."

The door opened and Midori walked in.

"Hey guys."

"Hey," Shuuhei said.

Midori came and sat on Shuuhei's desk. Crossing her legs she looked at the fukutaichou of Squad Nine with a grin on her face. "I got good news for you, Hisagi. We can spar tonight! I mean," she added, losing her initial excitement, "if you still want."

She didn't need to sound too desperate.

"Yeah," he said, answering far too quickly. Realizing this, the fukutaichou tried to fix that. "I mean, I have nothing else to really do."

Izuru glanced at the two, wondering why they had to keep messing around with their feelings.

* * *

Later that night, Kagami was at her daughter's house, helping the woman prepare for her wonderful date.

"Oh, you look stunning, Mimi-chan!" Kagami exclaimed, adding the finishing touches. "I can only imagine what you will look like as a bride!"

Midori looked at herself in the mirror. The blue silk kimono she was wearing exposed her shoulders. It was also low cut and exposed a little cleavage -- something Midori did not appreciate, no matter how appealing it might look to the opposite sex. The red sash that held the whole kimono together matched the red plum blossoms on the kimono and her red earrings. Bangs pulled back to be part of a tight bun, Midori could unfortunately see where most of her looks had come from.

"Turn around, Mimi-chan," Kagami eagerly said.

The shinigami turned around and immediately dodged the lipstick. "Isn't this enough?" She exclaimed, pointing out the expensive clothes she was forced to wear.

"You're a woman, Mimi-chan, and it's about time you look like it. Now stand still."

Sighing, Midori allowed her mother to apply the lipstick. Then she waited another minute for the layer of blue eye shadow and face powder. _All this mess for someone I'm not interested in. I don't see the point in this. It's just all going to come off in about three hours. _

"He's close," Midori suddenly said.

"Who?"

"Masakazu. I can sense his reiat--!"

There was a knock on the door. Kagami hurried into the hallway. "I'll get that. Maybe it's your future husband."

"He's not," Midori said to the empty room.

* * *

Shuuhei and Izuru watched the scene from the rooftops. Midori's mother had opened the door and started speaking to Masakazu, going crazy over the bouquet in his hands and saying how sweet the thought was.

"He really must be trying to impress Midori," Izuru said.

"Like Midori would fall for the guy over flowers," Shuuhei stated.

"Isn't that how you and Midori started out?" Izuru asked. When the blonde man didn't get a reply, he looked. Shuuhei was silently sulking. Immediately Izuru tried to lighten the situation. "Who am I kidding?" He laughed nervously. "Midori changed since then. It would take a lot more than flowers to do the trick."

The two shinigami heard Kagami laughed. It was one of those laughs that were saved for high society people. It was followed instantly by a squeal of delight.

"Don't you think she looks beautiful, Masakazu-san?"

Izuru and Shuuhei took a peek at what was going on below.

"Wow, she is, Kagami-sama."

Shuuhei stared in amazement. It had been a long time since he had seen Midori so dressed up. She was stunning to say the least. He wished he was the one taking her out to dinner instead. He would treat her special; he would give her more than just flowers. And he'd give her all the attention she needed to make her happy.

He watched as Midori hurried into the house, the bouquet in her hands. A minute later, she came out, ready to leave on her date.

"Let's follow," the Squad Nine fukutaichou whispered.

Masakazu led Midori out of the Seireitei, making it difficult for Shuuhei and Izuru to get through the gate without being noticed. Somehow, they managed to do that perfectly. Hiding around buildings and on rooftops, the two shinigami followed the couple to an extremely expensive restaurant. At this point, their trailing temporarily ended. The only way to get into the restaurant was by reservation and Shuuhei did not have one.

"What do we do from here?" Izuru asked.

Shuuhei folded his arms. "Wait I guess."

* * *

An hour later, Midori and Masakazu came out and the spying resumed. This time Masakazu brought Midori to a hill where they could watch the stars. Shuuhei and Izuru were fifteen feet away, hiding in the branches of a large tree. Unfortunately, the two could only see their targets' backs.

"Why would he bring her out here?" Izuru whispered.

"To get some privacy," Shuuhei muttered. "Me and Midori use to do things like this all the time in the academy . . ." His voice trialed off as he remembered the things he and Midori had done in the past. Passed the first date, it had been a lot more than kissing, a hell of a lot more.

"I'm sure Midori can handle herself," Izuru stated, reading Shuuhei's expression pretty well. " . . . If you still think of her, why don't you just tell her? I'm sure it's easier than following her around all day."

"Why?"

Izuru looked back at Masakazu and Midori. "Because she could fall for someone else," Izuru finally said.

* * *

Midori and Masakazu sat on the grass in silence. After a while, Midori got bored and started to pull a few blades of grass out of the ground. Though she was on a date, she was thinking more about what was after the date: another "sparring session" with Shuuhei.

She was beginning to think he wasn't getting the hints during their last nights together. Wasn't all the straddling suggestive enough? She thought it should have been blatantly obvious after a several weeks that the "friends-thing" was not working. She desperately needed him to be more than that because she couldn't see him as a friend like in the good Academy days. Since their first kiss, the possibility of "being something more" had not only been plausible but tangible as well. She had had more than one taste of it and she was still craving. And every time she looked at him, she felt they weren't completely finished. What did he feel? At moments, she would think that this whole thing was one-sided. That was why she needed distractions such as Masakazu, to get her mind away from such depressing thoughts.

The man next to her cleared his throat, pulling the blonde back into the real world.

"What do you think of me now?" He asked.

"Um, you're very handsome and nice I guess," Midori muttered.

"That's it? I'm not marriage material?"

"I didn't mean that. I think lots of women would be happy to marry you."

"Are you?"

Midori averted her gaze. Masakazu grabbed her hand and she stared at him.

"I think you're beautiful," Masakazu said. "I wouldn't mind marrying you."

She raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't mind?" She questioned his statement instantly.

Masakazu chuckled, flashing a perfect smile. "Don't take it so offensively. I don't have any strong feelings for you right now; only lust. And I'm sure that you lust for me, too."

At this, Midori laughed. "Ha, that's nothing to--!"

Masazaku pulled her in and kissed her.

A second after Masakazu locked lips with her, Midori felt a reiatsu that she had been neglectful to detect before. A second later, she pushed the man away and quickly stood, slightly flustered. _Someone saw _that, she thought angrily. _Now they're going to tell Shuuhei and, argh, why should that matter?! The stupid kiss didn't mean anything! _She glared at Masakazu and folded her arms.

"What the hell was that?"

"A kiss," he replied, angry that she had pushed him away.

"I know that! Why the hell did you kiss me?!"

"Most women don't make a big deal about it because they like it," Masakazu stated, his blue eyes on the blonde. "The few that do complain are 'in love' with another man. I'm guess you're one of those kind."

"What would give you that idea?"

"Your parents told me about that ex-boyfriend of yours. When I saw him in person, I found it hard that someone of your class would get involved with someone so underneath the pile. The idea is a terrible one, I must admit."

Her brown eyes narrowed and she clenched her fists. "Why should it matter what class he's from? He's always been with me when I needed him."

Masakazu stood and took a step toward Midori. The woman gave him the coldest glare she could muster; he simply feigned innocence. "If it's the sex you're worried about, I promise I can be a whole lot better than that guy."

"Excuse me?" Midori said in disbelief.

"Midori, that ex of yours has nothing on--!"

Shuuhei jumped out into the open, finally escaping from Izuru's hold. Immediately, the blonde woman and the man stared at him. He approached Masakazu. As much as he wanted to punch the guy, he decided against it. It wasn't something Tousen would do or approve of. "You want to finish that sentence?"

"You asked him to come?" Masakazu asked Midori.

"And Kira," she lied through her teeth, finally figuring out whom the other reiatsu belonged to.

The two fukutaichou -- Izuru out in the open now -- looked at the woman. They knew full well that she was lying but didn't question it. It wasn't Masakazu's business to know why they were here.

Midori started to head toward Shuuhei and Izuru. "And Masakazu, you are right," she added smugly. "I am in love with another man."

She linked her arms in the two men's with a grin. "Come on, you two. Let's go. My date's over."

When they were a good distance away from a stunned Masakazu, her voice dropped. "So tell me why the two of you were following me in the first place," she muttered, simultaneously tugging on both men's arms. Izuru and Shuuhei bumped into her shoulders at an angle that permitted a good view down the kimono. Midori, who found it odd that none of them replied, looked at them. It wasn't until Shuuhei leaned a little closer that she pushed them away.

"Why?" She repeated.

"We didn't want that guy to take advantage of you," Shuuhei replied.

"I'm strong enough to deal with him," she muttered.

"What if you got drunk?" Izuru suggested, trying to help his friend out.

"I'm not stupid," she stated with annoyance. However, she sighed and looked at them. "_But_ I do appreciate the fact that you two were worried about me." She gave a small smile and turned around.

Izuru nudged Shuuhei. "That was at you," he whispered.

Shuuhei watched the blonde woman walk farther and farther away. It was a nice thought, wasn't it?

Midori stopped and turned around. "Can you guys possibly walk any slower?"

The fukutaichou of Squad Nine shook his head. He swear he didn't know what to do with her.

* * *

Through a series of flashsteps, the three shinigami reached the Seireitei in fifteen minutes. Izuru went his own way, leaving Shuuhei and Midori alone. Midori had to change out of her clothes so she could actually spar properly and so they headed over to her living quarters. In front of the door already was Kagami and Shinichi, Midori's parents. At the sight of Shuuhei, her father sighed.

"She left her house with one man and she came back with another," he stated, his glare on the fukutaichou of Squad Nine.

"Mimi-chan, where's Masakazu?" Kagami asked.

"The date didn't go so well," Midori said.

"And you're with this man now because?" Her father prompted, his eyes still on the fukutaichou.

"I have to spar with him soon so I came back here to change." She walked passed her parents and to her door. She turned back toward the fukutaichou. "You want to come in and wait?"

Shuuhei shook his head and said, "I'll wait out here."

He knew that even if he went inside, he would have no privacy with Midori. Her parents would come inside as well and watched them with those eyes of theirs. Ono Shinichi apparently did not trust him with his daughter Midori. Shuuhei wanted to show that he was a gentleman of sorts and figured that staying out here was the way to go.

When Midori stepped inside, Shinichi cleared himself. "Mister--?"

"Hisagi," Shuuhei said.

"Mr. Hisagi, what is your price?"

The fukutaichou raised an eyebrow. "My price?"

"How much money would it take to make you leave my daughter alone? Apparently she can't get the message on her own that we don't want her dealing with your sort. I'm only thinking of her own good."

"I don't think any amount of money could make me leave Midori alone," Shuuhei said.

"Every man has his price."

"I don't have one."

"I can make one for you then. How does three hundred grand sound?"

"I'm not taking any bribes."

Kagami entered the conversation. "Do you honestly believe our Mimi-chan will be happy with a man like--" she gave him a once over, deciding against her usual choice words "--you?"

The door opened and Midori stepped out, fully dressed in her shinigami robes and her hair out of its confinement. "Let's go, Hisagi," she said, jumping down the stairs. "See you later, mom, dad."

Kagami kissed her daughter goodbye on the cheek and Shinichi gave Midori a firm handshake. "We'll pass by in the morning," her father said in gruff voice, his eyes on Shuuhei.

Midori nodded and waved them off. When they were out of sight, she turned and faced Shuuhei. "I'm so glad they're gone. I've seen enough of them for one day. Ready?"

"Yeah. Sure."

* * *

Midori tackled Shuuhei and he quickly flipped her off before standing. The woman swiftly landed on her feet and pointed her unreleased zanpakutou at him, grinning. "That was better but you could have followed that with an attack . . . Are you going easy on me again?"

"Not as much," he replied. "Why don't you use your bankai?"

"What's the point?" She said. "You won't even release your zanpakutou."

"I don't like releasing it."

"I've seen it once before; when we went on that mission."

"That time was different."

"You were trying to impress me," she teased.

Shuuhei grinned. "Why must you always be so conceited?"

"Cause it's in my nature." She readied her weapon and so did the fukutaichou. "When I say 'go', okay?"

"Alright."

"Ready, set -- I didn't say 'go' yet!"

Shuuhei tackled Midori into the grass, pinning her wrists above her head with one hand, their zanpakutous lying discarded near by. The blonde gave him a nasty look before struggling to get out of the pin. For some reason, he seemed ridiculously stronger than usual. She couldn't kick him in the groin if she wanted to; he had decided that between her legs was the place to be. In addition, he was on top and naturally had the upper hand.

After a while, when she realized how struggling could turn him on, she stilled.

"You win," she said, her brown eyes staring into his blue ones. "You can get off me now."

He shook his head slowly. "Who are you in love with?" he asked.

"It doesn't matter," she replied.

"Is it me?"

Midori sighed. "And you call me conceited."

Of course it was. He was the only man she had ever fallen for so deeply. He was the only man she allowed close to her on intimate levels. Midori had realized how naïve and foolish she had been in the Academy, believing that she had never deserved a guy as amazing as him and how naïve and foolish she had been when she decided that she could handle everything on her own, without him. Now, after all she had been through, she wanted nothing more than the man above her. And as long as he wanted her too, she would give unconditionally and infinitely. She promised herself that, something she intended to keep. But he should be the one confessing, not her.

Midori wrapped her long legs around his waist and pulled him closer. "You like this, don't you?" She asked with a smirk, already seeing him blush in the moonlight.

Before he could reply, their foreheads collided and Shuuhei shot up, touched his forehead. Midori kicked him in the side and he flew off her. The blonde hurried over to his body lying on the grass and bent down to check on him. She saw only a red mark on his forehead and just below that his glare. He was okay.

She bent over and kissed his bruise. "Does that make you feel all better?" The blonde teased.

Shuuhei sat up. "You always have to do something bitchy," he muttered.

"It's just who I am. It's either you accept it or you don't."

"I accepted it a long time ago with everything else about you." He stood and picked up his zanpakutou, sheathing it. Then he started to walk away. Midori chased after him and grabbed his arm.

"Alright, I'm sorry for saying stupid things," she apologized. "I'm just not -- I don't know, use to being upfront about these type of things. If you want the truth to your question, I, um, I . . . I am and . . . please tell me this not some way to satisfy your ego."

"It's not," he replied. " . . . I feel the same way about you."

"Good," Midori said, laughing sheepishly. "Now this doesn't feel _too _awkward."

Shuuhei placed his hand on top of her head, slightly messing up her hair. The woman stared at him, quirking an eyebrow. He simply grinned. "You're such a weirdo, _Mimi-chan_."

"Okay. It's bad enough that my parents call me that. I don't need you--!"

Shuuhei silenced the woman with a long, overdue kiss.

**A/N: And that's it. Thanks to cheeky half-demon, Foca, and black ennui for reviewing. Hopefully the next update will be up sooner. :)**


	15. Chapter 14: Promise Me

**A/N: I'm sorry I haven't updated in such a long time. As I somewhat mentioned before this part of the years a bad time for me (college applications, standardized testing, homework, coming up with a dance, etc.). I thought senior year was suppose to be fun but it's not so far, for me anyway. Anyway, this chapter has some fluff, some wonderful Shinichi-Shuuhei interactions, and a someone from the past. I must admit there is maybe one section I should probably change/edit but I'm too lazy to do that. But overall this should be a good, long read. So enjoy.**

**CHAPTER 14--Promise Me:**

Shinichi cleared his throat loudly, the silence unbearable. Kagami sighed loudly and looked over at her husband. He shrugged before staring at his daughter. Midori pushed back in her taichou's comfy chair, placing her feet on his desk and her arms behind her head. She took a deep breath and let it out in an exaggerated fashion, puffing her cheeks as she did so.

"I don't think I can marry Masakazu," she told her parents after a few minutes of silence.

"We're well aware of that," Kagami said.

"Masakazu told us this morning," Shinichi explained, his brown eyes still on his daughter. He looked annoyed, maybe even pissed off. Midori didn't know why until he asked, "Who's the other man?"

Midori sighed and looked out the window. "You know what? Why don't you just give up on me? I'm not going to marry any of the men you try to set me up with, no matter how rich or handsome they are."

"You're going to marry street scum?" Shinichi asked.

The woman got on the defensive. "They're not scum! I know what scum is! I've dealt with scum in the past."

"Mimi-chan," Kagami said soothingly. "Just tell us who you're in love with. We won't be angry. Unless, of course, you're ashamed to say it."

Midori sighed. She was not ashamed but she wasn't eager to tell her parents. "Hisagi Shuuhei," she replied.

"I knew it!" Her father said, leaping off his seat.

Midori sighed. If was he mad at that, she could only imagined what he would be like if he knew of the hickey left on her collarbone.

"Honey," Kagami said, frowning slightly at her husband. Shinichi sat back down on the chair more infuriated than ever. Kagami looked back at her daughter. "Now," the woman said, feigning happiness, "tell us why you love him."

Midori supposed the reason was everything about him but it was more than that. She couldn't find any words to describe it though. Midori wanted to ask them if they could describe love. However, after thinking a bit, she doubted they got married because of love. So in the end, the blonde woman shrugged.

"Surely you must have some reason," Kagami pressed.

"Shuuhei always been there for me," the third seat replied, sure that the answer wouldn't suffice. She was right.

"I'm sure other men have always been for you," Kagami stated, her icy blue eyes on Midori.

"Well, Shuuhei's different."

"In what way?"

"What is this?" Midori snapped. "Twenty-one questions?"

Kagami gave a tiny sly smile. "Isn't this what a parent should do? Take an interest in their child's life?"

Midori narrowed her eyes slightly. She hated her mother's method of questioning. Ono Kagami always tried to be sly with her approach. The shinigami preferred being yelled at than being toyed with and so she preferred dealing with her father more often.

"Why can't I be with him?" Midori challenged, her brown eyes on her mother. "And don't tell me that class sh-- nonsense."

"He's a punk," Shinichi said automatically as if he had been waiting to say that for so long.

"You have no proof of that."

"Look at that tattoo on his face, those choker thingies, and tell me that's proper etiquette."

"Actually he's very mature, a lot more than me," Midori stated, removing her feet from the desk and sitting upright. "On top of that, he understands me better than you do."

"Really? In what way?"

"Every way possible."

Kagami stared at her daughter, her eyes lit with mockery. "If that's the case, why aren't you two married yet?"

Midori sighed and reached for the papers on her desk, putting them in order. "Can we talk later? This conversation is getting nowhere and I have work to do."

Kagami and Shinichi stood. Saying their haughty goodbyes, they left the acting taichou of Squad Ten alone in the office. Midori put her head down on the desk and closed her eyes, far too stressed out for her own good. All this arguing and going back and forth was upsetting her. One couldn't explain love; it was just something one felt and knew by instinct because it was different from every other emotion. Love was unpredictable and the way it affect an individual was different than how it would affect someone else. Every time she was near Shuuhei, she had to do something incredibly stupid like saying the wrong words. It was a good thing it was Shuuhei she was in love with and no one else. No one probably had enough patience.

The woman smiled at the thought.

Not realizing it, sleep overtook her.

An hour later, Midori heard the sound of her name. Looking out through half-closed eyes, she saw Shuuhei standing in front of the desk, smirking. Glancing down, she noticed the drool on the wood. She sat up and reached for tissues. Immediately she wiped the drool off the desk, slightly embarrassed. _The one time I have to drool, he has to see,_ she thought as she threw the tissues into the tiny wastebasket.

"Are you really that tired?" Shuuhei asked.

"A little," Midori said as she reached for the paperwork she should have been doing.

"Then I shouldn't have kept you out so late, huh?"

Midori grinned. Last night, Shuuhei had been more playful than she thought he would be after their kiss. It was like he was hungry for her. He left a few marks in his wake, wherever he took the time to bruise gently. Now that she thought about it, she had been too busy enjoying his ministrations to return the favor. Smirking at the idea, she stood on her two feet. Then she casually she knocked the paperwork off the desk and patted the wood. "Lie down."

Shuuhei thought the request was odd. "Why?"

The woman shook her head and walked around the desk. Then she pushed Shuuhei down onto the desk and clambered on top of him. She leaned in close and whispered into his ear, "You left your mark on me so it's only fair that I leave you one. So," she added as her hand slipped under his keikogi, "where do you want it? Somewhere where the world can see or somewhere more secretive?"

Shuuhei blushed, realizing how flexible that statement was. He didn't think she meant anything extremely perverted, then again, her mind had probably thought of worst things. But what if she meant in a different way? "You choose," he replied.

* * *

The Squad Nine fukutaichou rubbed his neck, the place where Midori had left her 'mark' so the world could see. He didn't mind too much. The only time he was embarrassed about it was during the taichou meeting. Ukitake had thought it was a serious bruise and had asked him if he was okay. Leave it to Kyouraku to point out it was only a hickey in front of Yamamoto and his other superiors.

Shuuhei entered his office and saw he had a visitor. The visitor turned around and Shuuhei saw it was Ono Shinichi. Immediately, he reached for his neck to cover the hickey. There was no reason for Midori's father to hate him more than necessary.

"Ono-san," Shuuhei said.

"Hisagi," Shinichi said. "I've been waiting over an hour for your arrival."

"I had a meeting," Shuuhei stated. _What does he want to talk to me about_, he asked himself.

"I don't need an explanation -- I was just stating a fact," Shinichi said, his glare still on Shuuhei.

Shuuhei nodded, not in the mood to argue. "What do you want to talk about?" Shuuhei asked apprehensively. The last time they had talked, Shinichi had attempted to bribe him. The memory was written all over his face and the man picked up on it.

Shinichi laughed. "Hisagi, I'm not going to offer you cash or anything this time. I just wanted to know why."

"Why?" Shuuhei questioned, not fully understanding Shinichi's question.

"Why my only daughter," the man elaborated. "I've been in the Seireitei for a couple of days. There are more -- _suitable_ women that can meet your standards."

"Well, Midori exceeds my standards," Shuuhei stated.

"You think you know my daughter so well but you don't. The Midori you met was not the Midori who used to live under my roof. She was decent. She knew everything about proper etiquette, how to act like a young lady should, always showing her elders respect. Do you know why you have today's Midori? Because of your kind."

-FLASHBACK-

Shinichi looked at his daughter in disgust. Kagami was in the room as well but she was in the corner, ready to stay back and ready to step in. Shinichi was glad this was the case; he was going to have it out with his daughter for her disgraceful behavior. To think this had been going on for years and he had never realized until he saw it right in front of him. His daughter, born into nobility, was running around with street kids. Even more upsetting, she looked like one too.

Her cheeks were dirtied and the clothes she was wearing were torn and raggedy. To make things even more interesting, those were not the clothes she had left the house in. She had been wearing a silk kimono, not some big lopsided shirt and ruined shorts. He was beginning to think she switched outfits before meeting with those street punks so she would fit in. The idea made him even more angry.

"Before you say anything, let me explain," Midori said, her eyebrows furrowed together.

"What's there to explain?" Shinichi challenged. "I saw you stealing. And then that street boy all over you."

"He was not all over me," Midori stated. "He was just congratulating me. And, and, the stealing thing, I'll apologize to the shop owner--!"

"That makes it all better?!" He exclaimed and his daughter flinched slightly. "You've disgrace this family! Do you know how ashamed I was dragging you away?! I must have looked as if _I_ was housing street scum!"

Midori clenched her fists. "Don't call them that."

"The_ thieves?_"

Midori looked at the ground. "Stealing is wrong but some people have to do it just to survive in this world."

"So _now_ it's justified?" Shinichi asked, his blue eyes on her.

"No. I just . . ."

"How long do you think this was going to go on, huh? Do you think _you _were smart enough to hide this from us? This second life outside our mansion?"

Midori was surprised that she still had a voice. "You weren't going to notice any time soon. Neither was Okaa-san. You never pay attention to me. It doesn't matter what I do. I can break all the china in the house and you could care less. I can act so rude and you would only tell to me to behave myself because I won't get married because of my rudeness. Don't you understand? I hate being nobility. I hate rubbing in people's faces. With my friends, at least I have fun! It's not the same boring same routine every day!"

Shinichi became livid. "Don't raise your voice at me! When you're in my house, you don't act like some disrespectful, street rat! From now on, you will not leave this house by yourself! In fact, you won't leave this house for a long time! I'll have all the maids and servants keeping their eyes on you at all times! You will stay in plain sight where everyone can see you! And if I see those street kids near the estate, I will personally deal with them!"

"You can't do this to me."

"I am starting right now! I'm no longer having you disgrace this family!"

"At least let me go the Academy!"

"What did you say?" Shinichi asked slowly.

"Let me become a soul reaper a few years from now," Midori said, slightly modifying her request. "That way," she added unsurely, "I can be out of the house and you won't have to worry about me disgracing this family."

Shinichi frowned. _I bet those street scum put that idea into her head_, he thought bitterly.

"No," he finally said. "Only the lower class should become soul reapers."

"What about Kuchiki Byakuya? He works for the Gotei Thirteen as a taichou and he's of higher nobility than us!"

"What do you expect from a man who married someone right off the streets?! And don't even bring up Shihoin Yoruichi! She ran away because she was ashamed of herself!"

Shinichi saw his daughter's eyes dropped to the ground. He suddenly felt triumphant; he believed that the argument was over and he was the obvious victor. He was about to add some final words but his daughter spoke first.

"What if--" she gulped out of sheer nervous before continuing "--what if I one day I fell in love with someone of a lower class?" Midori asked quietly. "Will you stop me from marrying him?"

There was a silence. Shinichi was too in shock to respond to that question. She had just suggested the unthinkable.

"Mimi-chan," Kagami said gently, giving her husband time to recover. "You know that's not an option. You're expected to marry a noble or else we wouldn't waste all this time prepping you."

Midori looked back at her father. "Otou-san, they're my friends even if they're lower class. At least let me tell them--!"

Ono Shinichi found his voice.

"Such foolishness!" He exclaimed. "You can't be some street rat and then come back here to be part of this family! It's either you stay under my roof or go out on the streets! I won't afford you to burden this family with your insolence!"

Midori stared, wondering if that was an ultimatum. After a minute of silence, she ran upstairs. Shinichi sighed and looked at his wife.

"I think you overdid it at the end," Kagami said with a frown.

"She needs to understand how this family operates," Shinichi said firmly. "Since the time of my great-grandfather, the Ono name has been prestigious. It's not going to be tarnished by some ignorant child who knows nothing about the world."

Shinichi heard footsteps coming down the stairs and turned around.

Midori jumped the last step, a bag bouncing on her back.

"Where are you going?" Shinichi demanded.

"Out on the streets," Midori stated as defiantly and as firmly as possible. "If I can't live the life I want to here, then I'm running away and I won't come back."

Shinichi's shoulders shook before he burst into laughter, unable to take his daughter seriously. Finally the fit subsided and he stated, "You can't make it out there on your own. You need this family to survive."

"Oh yeah?" Midori took a deep breath and walked over to the door. She touched the cool metal of the doorknob and immediately her heart pounded, full of anticipation. Slowly, she turned it and the door opened easily.

Shinichi glared at Midori's back. "If you walk out this door, we'll disown you. We won't take you back into this household."

The was a brief pause in her movements, then a deep breath.

"Fine!" Midori slammed the door on her way out.

Kagami frowned. "Shouldn't we go after her?"

"Why bother?" Shinichi said before taking the stairs up to his study. He had no worries. He was sure his daughter would realize _acting_ as a street rat and _becoming_ a street rat were two completely different things. After a night in the cold, she wouldn't be able to take it and return back to the estate. Or so he thought.

-END FLASHBACK-

"Your kind is the reason I lost a daughter," Shinichi stated.

"You're blaming me?" Shuuhei said in disbelief. "I didn't even know her back then!"

"You're not helping her now," Shinichi said. "You and all the others are making her worse than when she started out! Everything she had to deal with was because of you people! Do you think she's happy here?"

"She wasn't happy living on your estate," Shuuhei retorted, the only thing he could retort.

"Drop her," Shinichi said on his way out. "In the end, she will only run away. That's one thing you can rely on her for."

"That's not true," Shuuhei said.

Shinichi stopped at the door. "Are you saying, Hisagi, my daughter had never ran away from you before?" When there was no reply, the man took his leave.

* * *

"_Are you kidding me, Aya? We have to clean this place _every_ week?"_

"_Well, whenever it's dirty."_

"_Isn't once enough? Where I came from, I used to have maids that did all the work."_

"_So are you helping? I told you you didn't have to."_

" _. . . I wanted to just prove to myself that I'm more than some rich snob, that I can do things on my own."_

Midori stood in front of a house in the Rukongai District 7. The day she had ran away, she intended to get as far as possible from the Ono Estate so no one could find her. It was here with Aya and Izanami, Aya's grandmother, that she found refuge and a new home. When she thought about it, she had learned a lot living with the two. To think she came here as a spoiled rich brat and left as a hard-working member of society.

_I wonder if anyone still lives here_, Midori asked herself.

"Midori-chan?"

The blonde turned around and came face to face with a woman wearing glasses. At first she frowned. The she broke out into a grin. "Aya!"

Later, inside the house, Aya poured Midori some tea. The last time she had seen her friend was at graduation where they unfortunately parted ways. She had moved back here to take care of Inazami; Midori had went to the Seireitei to become a shinigami. Aya was certain that so much had happened to the blonde over the last forty-something years. Aya placed the teapot down on the small table.

"How have you been, Midori-chan?" Aya said.

"Okay, I guess," Midori said. "You?"

Aya grinned. "The usual. Nothing too exciting happens around here. How's Shuuhei?"

"He's good," Midori said.

"Are you two married yet?"

The blonde shook her head.

Aya frowned. "I thought you two would be by now."

"Before, our relationship was sort of rocky."

"I see . . . I'm glad you remember me. You didn't visit in such a long time."

"Oh, where is Izanami-san?"

"She died ten years ago," Aya said solemnly.

"I'm sorry," Midori said, her happiness dying down. "I regret not coming back sooner. I never told her how much I appreciated everything she did."

"She knew. She was proud of you when she heard you became fukutaichou. She always said she knew you were going to be great. She wished your parents could see it."

"Funny that you mention my parents," Midori said, changing the topic. She didn't want to think about anything depressing for too long or else it would eat at her. It had happened before with the Ichimaru incident. "They came to visit me."

"Really?" Aya asked, happy for her friend. "Did it go well? Please say it did."

Midori filled Aya on everything that had happened during the last few days. Aya's eyes got wider with each part. At the end of the story, Midori was calmly sipping her tea while Aya slowly digested this new turn of events.

"Why would they force that responsibility onto you?" Aya sympathetically said. "You don't even like Masakazu. And to think you want to marry Shuuhei but your parents are totally against it because of class. That's so awful."

"I was better off without seeing them," Midori said. "They only exist to make my life miserable."

"Don't say that," Aya frowned. "It's important you make up with them now and prove that Shuuhei is suitable for you. If you don't fix yours and your parents' relationship, it will plague you the rest of your life."

"In what way?"

"You were really upset on graduation day when they didn't respond to your letter asking them to come."

Midori sighed. "Fine. Though I still don't see how it will plague the rest of my life. . . Hey, Aya?"

"Hm?"

"Before I forget, can you tell me where Izanami's grave is? I want to pay my respects."

* * *

At around eleven o'clock at night, Midori reached Shuuhei's house. She knocked on the door, anxious just to see his face. After a while, Shuuhei opened the door and Midori frowned.

Shuuhei looked troubled, as if something important was on his mind. Unfortunately, she didn't know what that something was. A part of her thought that maybe he had a rough day at work. Another part suggested the possibility that he was angry at her. Not that she could think of anything she could have done to him in the last twenty-four hours. Was it the hickey? The woman didn't think he would get mad over a silly hickey unless it had embarrassed him.

"Hi, Midori."

"Hello." She walked in and Shuuhei closed the door behind her. "What's wrong?" She finally asked. "Are you mad at me?"

Shuuhei shook his head.

"Did my parents tell you something?"

When Shuuhei hesitated to answer, the woman assumed the answer was 'yes'. She frowned a bit, her eyebrows furrowed as concern etched into her expression. "What did they say? Something bad about you? Something bad about me?"

Shuuhei sat down on the couch and tilted his head back, his arms resting on the back of the couch. "Don't worry about it," he told her, closing his blue eyes. He searched through his thoughts for a brief moment and then asked, "Are you happy, Midori?"

Midori sat down on the couch and leaned against him. "Why wouldn't I be happy? I have you."

"Seriously."

Midori lied down across his lap and he gazed down at her. She folded her arms and pretended to mule this over. "Okay. Let's see. Um, I have a boyfriend who's been holding back on me because he's worried about what my parents think _even _though I tell him not to be."

"Midori," he said in an irritated tone.

She gave him a tiny smile, hoping to lighten his mood. "It's true. I don't know what they tell you when I'm not there because you don't tell me. I don't care if you want to condense it and leave little bits out. I just want the general truth. Incase you're forgetting, they are more my problem than yours."

Shuuhei sighed. "For starters, they did try to bribe me once."

"To do what?"

Shuuhei smirked down at her. "To stay away from you. I declined if that counts for something."

Midori grinned. "It does."

"And today," Shuuhei reluctantly added, "your father had a talk with me."

"What did he say?"

"He told me that it was my fault for everything that happened to you."

"And?"

" . . . When I thought about it, your father was somewhat right. All of the things that happened to you were, in some way, related to me. So every time you were miserable, it was technically my fault."

Midori immediately sat up. She took his face between her hands and made him look into her eyes. "Did my father convince you or something?" She asked. "Cause if he did, I'll deal with him as soon as--!"

"I could care less about what he said," Shuuhei said, cutting her off. He let out sigh and his hands reached to cover hers. "It makes sense that I should because it's true, Midori. But it doesn't bother me, not in the slightest. In the end, I have you and I plan on making the rest of your life happy."

"Shuuhei," she said, her heart swelling up with joy. She wanted to kiss him -- wrap her arms around him -- but his eyes clouded.

Shuuhei gave her hands a small squeeze. "We always go back and forth, the two of us. We could be together one day and separated the next. It's almost impossible to know if I can wake up the next morning and say that you haven't run away from me again."

"I'm not going to run away this time," Midori said. "I'm not leaving you."

"Can you promise that?" He removed her hands from his face and guided her arms around his neck, finding this more suitable for him. He then wrapped his own arms loosely around her waist. "That no matter what happens, you'll stay with me."

Midori raised her eyebrows in surprise; Shuuhei continued.

"Even if there's something that wants to push you far away from me. And if there is something like that, you'll tell me whether it puts me in danger or not."

"You want me to promise you that?" Midori asked.

"If you can't, then we might as well stop now," Shuuhei stated firmly. Sighing, he looked away from her face. "You don't have to do everything by yourself, Midori. I'm willing to share your pain. So promise me that you'll let me help regardless of the situation."

"Shuuhei--!"

Shuuhei looked back at her. "Midori?"

The woman didn't think she could make any guarantees on that. She had always preferred handling things on her own. And now he was asking to be someone she could turn to during those times. But when it got down to it, could she really his life to be endangered for her own sake? He was asking for something that she deemed practically impossible. Yet, with some uncertainty, she managed to reply, "I promise."

"No more secrets?"

The woman slowly shook her head.

"No more leaving me?"

Again, the woman shook her head. In a matter of seconds, she found herself on her back, Shuuhei hovering above her, their lips barely touching. Heart pounding, her eyes were almost closed, not willing to make direct eye contact. She feared that he would see what was running through her mind. She blushed as his lips suddenly moved against her just to pronounce three words:

"Then I'm yours."

* * *

The next morning, Shinichi and Kagami burst into their daughter's temporary office and stopped short. Their gaze went straight to Shuuhei, who sitting on the couch, eying them. From behind the desk scattered with paperwork, Midori waved in their direction.

"Hisagi-san," Kagami said in a polite but cold tone, "We want to have a few words with Midori."

"I want him to stay," Midori stated, finally taking the opportunity to look up. It took a while for her parents' eyes to leave Shuuhei and focus on her.

"But Mimi-chan," Kagami said, "What we have to discuss is private."

"But what I want to say is important," Midori said. "I want Shuuhei to be here for it."

"Go first," Shinichi muttered. "Then when you're done, he gets out. Understand, Midori?"

The blond woman sighed, deciding not to answer that. "I want to prove something to you," she said, moving on.

"What do you want to prove?" Shinichi asked in a gruff voice, his gaze passing over Shuuhei as he wondered if he put his daughter up this nonsense.

"I want to prove how suitable Shuuhei is for me."

When her father and mother didn't respond right away, Midori knew that she would have a lot of convincing to do.

**A/N: Yeah, next chapter should be interesting. I think I might put a half-lemon or something in it as well. Then, maybe I'll do three more chapters, take care of whatever plot holes that are in the story, then do an epilogue and then the story's done. Yep. Should be good. Anyway, thanks to cheeky half-demon, coloursofthenight, SweetYuya, and Foca for reviewing. I'll try to update sooner. **


	16. Chapter 15: Commitment

**A/N: Okay. I just took ACTs this morning and when I came home, I decided that I had to finish this chapter. This chapter and the next one would have been up a lot sooner but I didn't like the original Chapter 15. I had to rewrite it from scratch because it seemed too choppy no matter how many times I edited it. And because of that, I wasn't able to put up Chapter 16 sooner. So hopefully, this chapter isn't too boring and Chapter 16 will be good. Starting Chapter 17, we get more into the story line, I guess (the last few chapters are like the background to the action in Karakura Town -- when Hitsugaya and the others go to Ichigo's school and stuff). So, basically, this is the last of the Ono-Shinichi-And-Kagami chapters. And the next chapter is an interlude to the last part of this story (I think I may need more than three chaps). Moving on, enjoy.**

**CHAPTER 15--Commitment:**

Midori was sitting on Shuuhei's bed, watching him fix the dark blue kimono that her parents had sent him. She was wearing the one her parents had given her. It was pastel pink, a color that she could really do without, with various decorations. It was nothing like her other present; there was no visible cleavage, just plain and simple silk. The only thing that bugged her was that the kimonos given to her and Shuuhei were so expensive. After all, they were just going to the Ono Estate, no public place where everyone could see them. The blonde doubted that the gifts were given out of generosity. Something was up. No doubt something her mother had pulled at the last second.

"How does this look?" Shuuhei asked Midori, turning toward Midori.

The woman smiled. "It looks good on you."

"Really?"

"Yep. You look very handsome."

"Thanks," he muttered.

"What's wrong? You don't believe me?"

"No. I'm just wondering if this whole dinner thing will work. Your parents are more stubborn than you, Midori. We could have been a bit more forceful on the issue."

Midori sighed. "I just wanted to be diplomatic. To me it's better if they come to terms with us on their own than by force."

Even as she said those words, she was beginning to wonder if Shuuhei's idea was better. Her original plan was that her and her parents would talk this over, make them see how wonderful and amazing Shuuhei truly was. But now, after having the whole day to review over that game plan, she was beginning to see some holes. Her father didn't like to concede defeat. In fact, he would prefer bringing his opponent down with him than going down alone. Her mother was unpredictable but was more likely to swing to her father's side. Now she thought about more illegal ways of dealing with the situation, blackmail at the top of her list.

Shuuhei looked back at his girlfriend and saw that she wasn't paying attention to him. Quickly, he reached into one of his drawers and stashed something into his pocket. Then he joined the woman on the bed. Now she stared at him. "What happen happens," he said. "Even if they don't agree with this at the end of the night, I'm not giving you up."

"Even if they sent assassins after you?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What kind of nobles send assassins?"

Midori shrugged. "Just a thought but you're probably right. That's too scandalous for my family."

Shuuhei wrapped his arm around Midori and pulled her against his body. "We have thirty minutes until we have to go. What do you want to do?"

Midori tossed him a grin. "I want you to touch me in every way that an unmarried woman should not be touched."

The fukutaichou averted his gaze, a blush on his cheeks. "We can leave early," he suddenly suggested, forcing certain images off his mind. "That wouldn't hurt. We can walk around the Rukongai for a bit too and see what's there."

The blonde sighed and unraveled his arm from her waist. Then she stood, her brown eyes on him. "Fine. Since you want to leave early." Midori studied her flustered boyfriend. Maybe she had been a little too suggestive.

* * *

Later, Shuuhei and Midori walked up the long, cobble-stoned path to the house. On the way, Shuuhei couldn't help but noticed how elegant everything looked. There were the fountains on either side of the path that seemed to light at different intervals. As he got neared the mansion, it seemed bigger than before. Finally they reached the double doors. Midori pressed the doorbell button. Very faintly, the two could hear the doorbell's chimes. They waited for someone to answer the door.

"Ready?" Midori asked, taking in a deep breath.

Shuuhei nodded.

The door opened. There stood a maid. The woman forced a smile. "Mimi-san, nice to see you. I suppose," she added, taking in Shuuhei's appearance, "this is the man that your father loathes so much."

"Isn't 'loathe' such a strong word?" Midori asked.

The maid examined the fukutaichou again. "I think 'loathe' is accurate. Follow me."

Shuuhei exchanged looks with Midori before following the main inside. Already, Shuuhei's eyes widened. The marble floors, the chandeliers on the high ceiling, the double spiral staircases that led to the second floor, the expensive vases. He felt so uncomfortable in this house; everything seemed out of his league. His eyes landed on a large painting in a gold frame hanging on the wall. He realized that it was a family portrait, in it a young blonde girl. He elbowed Midori and pointed it out.

Midori smirked. "I thought they would have x-ed me out or something."

They came into the dinning room, where Shinichi and Kagami were waiting. Unfortunately, they were not alone. Occupying three seats were Masakazu and his parents, their eyes on the new arrivals. When Masakazu saw the look on Midori's face, he smiled. "Good evening, Midori, Hisagi-san."

The maid pointed at the two empty seats and Midori and Shuuhei finally sat down. "Why are they here?" Midori asked, not bothering to hide her distaste.

Kagami smiled. "It's always nice to have a second opinion. And just in case you change your mind tonight. It's not too late, Mimi-chan."

"I think it is," Midori replied with a forced smile.

Shinichi cleared his throat and looked at Masakazu's father. "Midori believes that Hisagi-san is marriage material," he explained with a noticeable sneer.

Masakazu's father gave Shuuhei a scrutinizing look. "Is that so?"

"I'm not lying," Midori said, surprised by how long her smile stayed on. "He's even better than Masakazu in many aspects." Masakazu's mother gave Midori an extremely dirty look. Ironically, it made the blonde's smile turn into a genuine one. Already, her mind was working on ways to make Masakazu's parents hate her.

* * *

The first half of dinner was quiet as everyone ate the mouthwatering dishes. Everyone used that time to come up with questions they would ask or answers they would provide in their defense. During this quiet part of the meal, Shuuhei wanted to say something but couldn't; the whole situation made him feel uneasy. In addition to proving himself to Shinichi and Kagami, he had to prove himself in front of Masakazu's parents as well. He met Midori's eyes and wondered what was on her mind.

"Hisagi-san," Masakazu said. "How did you and Midori meet, if you don't mind me asking."

"I don't," Shuuhei said coolly. "It was in the Academy. I had to stop Midori from attacking another student," he said with a slight hesitation, not sure if he should have left that part out. However, a grin from Midori showed him that what he said wasn't damaging in anyway. She would rather have her name tarnished than his.

Masakazu's mother frowned. "Attacking another student?"

"He was bothering a friend of mine," Midori replied. "I didn't like that so I naturally stepped in and tried to beat the crap out of him. Just that Shuuhei didn't let me because 'it was against the rules' and all that."

"And this is how you fell in love?" Masakazu asked in disbelief.

Midori shook her head. "That wasn't until after he saved my life. He brought me flowers every day at the hospital and after a while, he sort of grew on me." She looked at Shuuhei and gave him a small shrug.

Shuuhei knew what she meant. It had taken a while for her to grow on him as well. He supposed that because they felt guilty for the other's injuries, they ended up gravitating toward one another. And as they got closer, feelings developed. And Shuuhei didn't have any regrets about that, none whatsoever.

"What rank are you in the Gotei 13, Hisagi-san?" Kagami asked, trying to do her job as a hostess.

"Fukutaichou of Squad Nine," he replied.

"That must mean you're very strong," Kagami commented.

"Can we stick to the real reason we're here?" Midori asked, suddenly. "Or did you forget, Okaa-san?"

"Of course I didn't," she replied in an irritated tone. "Let's get this out in the open: Why don't you want to marry Masakazu?"

"She claims she's in love with Hisagi-san," Masakazu sneered. The thought of someone getting chosen over him annoyed the man beyond belief.

"I am," Midori said.

Shinichi snorted. "Words are only words. Nothing concrete."

"Nowadays," Masakazu's mother started, "no one marries for love. It's more about the interests of their family than anything. Your marriage to my son would be a way to create a legitimate 'bond' between the Ono family and the Shiganori family."

"But I don't like Masakazu," Midori muttered. "He's a pig." Again, Masakazu's mother gave the blonde a dirty look.

Kagami sighed. "Hisako-san, I'm sure Midori wasn't serious. She tends to act childish sometimes."

Shuuhei raised an eyebrow at Kagami. "Midori doesn't lie about stuff like that."

"Forget this," Masakazu snapped. "I don't have time to waste on this woman."

"But Masakazu," Shiganori, Masakazu's father, started but was cut off.

"I will not sit here and be insulted," Masakazu stated, his golden eyes on the blonde third seat. "If she's so interested in street trash, then let her have him."

"What?!" Midori got off her seat, already curling her hands into fists. Shuuhei grabbed her wrist and the furious woman looked at him. He shook his head and she plopped back down into her seat, folding her arms, the agitation still on her face.

"Think wisely," Hisako advised her son.

Masakazu sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Right. This is business, nothing more."

"Don't pay attention to our naïve daughter," Shinichi muttered.

Midori gritted her teeth and looked down. So far, her wonderful plan of diplomacy wasn't working and know she was running low on ideas. Her parents were being so stubborn. She wouldn't be surprise if they somehow forced her to marry Masakazu against her will. She would resist but if they so strongly believed that, then what would . . .

"I'm not giving her up, Ono-san," Shuuhei said loud enough so he had everyone's attention.

Shinichi looked at Shuuhei. "What was that?"

"I'm not giving Midori up," Shuuhei repeated slowly, his eyes on Shinichi.

"What do you have to offer my daughter," Shinichi scoffed. "You don't even begin to compare to Masakazu. Masakazu has status, money, power. The only thing you can provide Midori with is your title."

"I can also give her my commitment," Shuuhei replied.

Midori was surprised that her father had not exploded yet. She was certain that it would be any second now.

"That's a big word coming out of a boy," Shinichi stated icily. "But as I said, words are only words. People say things all the time and don't mean them."

Shuuhei sighed. "Of course," he muttered, gazing at Midori as he tried to come to a decision. Finally, he made up his mind. He stood and pulled his chair aside. Then he got down on one knee, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small black velour box. "Ono Midori," he started, opening the box and revealing a ring.

Midori's eyes widened and her heart began to thud faster against her chest. She knew what was coming, what he would say next, but even as he said it, her heart only seemed to pound more.

"Will you marry me?"

Because it was silent, despite the fact that she was whispering, everyone heard her reply: "Yes."

"What kind of game is this?!" Shiganori exclaimed.

"I forbid this!" Shinichi yelled.

Kagami remained calm in the mist of the uproar.

"I won't stand for this!" Masakazu said, standing up. "Having some street scum being chosen over me! I'm leaving!" He stormed out of the dining room. Shiganori and his wife took off after their son. After a glare, Shinichi went after the Shiganori family to clear up the "misunderstanding".

Kagami sighed and stood. "You have my congratulations, Mimi-chan, Hisagi-san, seeing that the two of you are happy about this. You may leave now." With that, she left the dining room and went after her husband.

Midori frowned. She had believed her mother would have exploded as well after this proposal. However, her mother had taken the hit without too much of a problem. In fact, she couldn't believe that Kagami would let Shuuhei off that hook that easily. _Congratulations_, Midori repeated in her mind. Shuuhei took hold of Midori's left hand, bring the woman back to the real world. She watched as he slipped the ring on her finger. When he was done, she smiled.

* * *

Shinichi was in his study, trying to relieve himself of the stress he was feeling. The Shiganori family had left a few minutes ago, infuriated by Hisagi's stunt. They had thought that he, Ono Shinichi, had something to do with it. Masakazu had added that Midori was probably sullied by that 'street punk' anyway, something that Shinichi believed as well.

The door to the study opened and Kagami walked in.

Shinichi growled. "I told you I don't like people coming into my study."

"I'm sorry but we need to discuss something," Kagami replied.

"Yes, we do. How many credible assassins do you think we'll need to take Hisagi down?"

Kagami sighed. "I want to talk to you about our daughter."

"There's nothing to talk about that spoiled brat. Making a fool of me. Who does she think she is, coming under my roof and--!"

"Shinichi," Kagami said gently. "I'm beginning to think we don't know what's good for Midori."

"We know better than her," Shinichi growled.

"Then what's best for her in this scenario?" Kagami asked slyly, a ghost of a smile on her lips.

"Don't play your silly games with me," Shinichi grumbled.

"If Midori hadn't look so happy, I would have been _more_ against it," Kagami muttered.

"You're giving in?"

"I'm just _sort of_ accepting it."

"She's not marrying him," he stated. "I won't permit her to bring our family name down because of her own selfish impulsive actions."

"It doesn't matter what we say anymore. She's going to marry him."

"She won't."

Kagami folded her arms. "Shinichi, be reasonable. For the first time in the long time I could remember, I saw Mimi-chan happy."

"Words are not enough."

"I know. But I saw that twinkle in her eye when he got down on his knee and propose to her." She walked over the desk and sat on the edge of it. "Plus, the people in the Seireitei had nothing but _good_ things to say about him."

He snorted. "They stick to their kind."

"Maybe, we don't know Mimi-chan the way we thought we did. Maybe the life we want for her isn't. . . right."

"That's a joke. She's just too stubborn to see that's our way is better."

"A situation can't move on if there are stubborn people on both sides of an issue, Shinichi. Think about that."

"Then tell your daughter to stop being stubborn," Shinichi stated. He stood and walked over to the book case. He no longer stared at his wife, pretending instead that he was looking for a book. To keep up with the act, he took a book off the shelf and returned to his seat. He could feel his wife's eyes on him but he paid no mind as he flipped the book opened to the first page.

"Honey," Kagami started. "Open your eyes and take a good look at the picture."

Shinichi sighed and looked out of the window, thinking about the past. "She was nothing like Takehiko and Yohei. She was so boring, nothing promising about her. I figured I'd turn her into something and get her married as soon as possible so there would be no harm done. One day, she decides to play dress up with some street boys and then decides to run away. Then, over forty years later, she decides to come back home with that, that, that--!" He let out a groan, unable to find the right word.

Kagami got off the desk and headed for the door. "I'll leave you with your thoughts, Shinichi. Pull yourself together soon. It's not easy dealing with this on my own."

* * *

Midori and Shuuhei bid goodbye to the maid who had given them some food. The maid simply nodded and walked off. Shuuhei weighed the package, impressed by the amazing food that had been given to him. "I can't believe they were going to throw all this out."

"I don't know of any nobles who are fond of leftovers," Midori replied.

"I suppose you're the exception to that rule," Shuuhei said.

"I don't think I count."

At that moment, Kagami came down the left spiral staircase. "Why are you two still here?"

"We were just about to leave, Okaa-san," Midori stated.

Kagami spared Shuuhei a cold glare before returning to her daughter. She couldn't help but notice the ring on her finger, a reminder of the battle her and her husband had lost. Masakazu and the rest of his family would never consider a marriage involving her daughter and once the rest of the high nobility hear what a disgrace their daughter was . . . Kagami took a deep breath, trying to convince that all this mess would manage to blow over. Just like when Midori ran away, just like when she tried to kill her taichou. This should all blow over, it should all blow--!

"Okaa-san," Midori said in a nonchalant manner. "I'm assuming he's not coming down any time soon."

It took her a while to understand who Midori meant.

"He's still trying to figure out what happened at dinner," she said without breathing.

"I see," Midori said, glancing at Shuuhei. "I guess we'll leave now."

"Mimi-chan," Kagami said and grabbed her daughter's left hand. Her blue eyes landed on accusingly on the ring. She didn't notice that her daughter was staring at it as well. "Are you sure about this, Midori?"

"I'm sure."

"Even if it's the biggest mistake of your life?"

"Okaa-san, my only mistake is that I didn't marry him the first time he asked."

Kagami immediately let go of Midori's hand. "Go. Now."

"My pleasure," Midori said with a quick bow and opened the door. She walked out with Shuuhei and her mother closed the door behind them.

Shuuhei sighed, happy that he could breathe again. "Hey, Midori?"

The blonde looked at him.

"Sorry that things didn't go the way you want it to. I know that this was more than us."

"It's okay. They're already trying to get over it and I'm sure they will eventually. Besides, I got what I wanted," she added, switching the bagged food to her right hand and modeling the left ring in the moonlight.

"You know it's the same one from last time?"

"Really?"

Shuuhei nodded.

Midori raised an eyebrow. "Why'd you keep it?"

He sheepishly looked away, scratching the back of his head. "I had hoped that we would be able to try that again."

Midori stopped walking and Shuuhei frowned. He was about to comment but she moved faster than he could respond. The woman dropped the food and threw herself at him, successfully wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him into a kiss. A second later, his arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her even closer to his body.

Unknown to them, someone watched the scene from the study's window. And then the curtain fell back in place.

**A/N: Thanks to cheeky half-demon, SweetYuya, I3Bleach (sorry if the heart doesn't come out), Foca, cannec616, and yrenne for reviewing. To clear things up for you peeps, Takehiko and Yohei are Midori's older brothers. They were suppose to make an appearance in this chapter but I changed my mind. Just to let you know ahead of time, the next chapter happens some time after this chapter. Don't have an exact date when but it doesn't really matter. **


	17. Chapter 16: One Night

**A/N: I liked how this one turned out. Not choppy and smooth in a way. And it's not heavy lemon either so I had no real problems typing it since I incorporated actions _and_ thoughts. I left hints to certain parts I didn't want to go into detail about because it would have messed up the mood when I was writing (I was listening to Suteki Da Ne!). So anyway, fill in the missing "blanks". Don't expect this too be perfect because I'm not an expert on this. So enjoy. Because this is the most you'll get out of me.**

**CHAPTER 16--One Night:**

Midori had always imagined what it would be like to make love with the person she always cared for the most. She could try to see in her mind what it would be like but she didn't think she could get the sensations right. Now, in this point in time, she knew that she had been correct. The way he was making her feel was unimaginable.

The way he kissed her, bruising her lips and making her moan, while his hand traveled up and down her body, making pit stops at certain places that demanded his attention -- that was what got her. She could no longer think straight; her mind could not wander any further than what she was presently feeling. Her body felt unbearably hot and she couldn't cool herself with another body on top of her. However, she was now thinking her lover felt the same unbearable heat; he pulled on her obi, untying the knot and releasing her from her confining robes. The seemingly cold air hit her chest before it was smothered by more body heat.

She gripped the back of his shinigami uniform as he left her swollen lips and moved down to her neck, then her collar bone. Then his lips reached the top of her breast. Her heart sped up in the dead of the night, nervous about his expertise. Within the next few seconds, she no longer doubted him.

Midori had always thought that she would have to ask him for this night. Or at least seduced him into it. She knew he had a perverted side but he wasn't one to act on it right away. Maybe fantasize but never do. Earlier this night, he had taken her by surprise when he came to her house and kissed her eagerly at the door. It wasn't his normal sweet, tender kisses. It had been rough and full of a hunger she had never known. That was how this special night started for her -- that one kiss before the leading to her bedroom, where she was now beneath him.

The woman slipped his kimono top off his broad shoulders and she realized how much she liked them. They revealed how strong and sturdy he was. One hand left his shoulder and moved to intertwine its fingers in his hair.

She moaned when he grabbed the breast he wasn't teasing.

"Shuuhei," she whispered.

Shuuhei replied with a groan and licked his way up, stopping every once in a while to leave a mark in his wake.

He felt like he had waited forever to do this with her, to have her, to claim her for himself in way no one else could. As he brushed his lips against her jaw line, he wondered how many others she had done similar things with. The idea caused him to be rougher with his kisses as if he had to prove that he was the best she could ever have. Through his lips, he felt the slight vibration running inside her throat as she let out another moan.

In the darkness he found her lips. Her lips parted; he took that as her permission. He craftily slipped his tongue into her mouth.

Midori arched, surprised that she was being rendered useless. She was numbed by his actions, the rash way he expressed himself. She gasped when she felt his touch on her inner thigh. Her breath hitched slightly as it moved up, closer and closer, before it suddenly moved to the top of her thigh and rested on her hip.

"Midori," he said, his lips brushing against hers tentatively as his said her name. "What do you want me to do?"

"Nothing," she said breathless.

"Nothing," he repeated, unconvinced. The blonde nodded her head but he shook his. After another mind-blowing kiss, he slowly shifted his body lower.

Midori turned her face into the pillow, releasing his hair and gripping the bed sheets instead. She waited for his command and he gave it to her. She followed it with a nervous eagerness. She closed her eyes and prepared to hide her moans.

The bed sheets twisted in her grasp.

She couldn't help but think that the night he had saved her, their fates had been tied together, preparing them for this inevitable moment. If someone all those years back had told her that the same sixth year that reprimanded for all her mistakes would become her lover, she wouldn't believe it. If someone back then had told her he would propose to her one day, she would have laughed. And if someone had told her back then that he would want to spend the rest of his life with her, she would have been eager to prove that wrong. Because back then, she had believed he was too good for her.

"Midori," he groaned, enticed by her scent and by her beauty. He inhaled the aroma, trying to distinguish hers from his. Soon, he hovered above her, his eyes on her chest falling up and down rapidly as he tried to decide if he was rushing this or not. He had always assumed it would be a different time, not when he was suddenly needy for this feeling of release. But as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into another kiss, he didn't hesitate to continue; he could see that she wanted this too.

Sometimes the woman couldn't help but think how lucky she was. She had gotten a man who at moments made her wonder if she was good enough for him. However, those doubts seemed insignificant. They fitted each other too perfectly to not be together.

She was stubborn; life was ironic. She was used to being the last person to see the bigger picture in front of her. And now, as he pulled away to get some air, she saw it now more than ever.

"You know I'm yours, right?" She said, staring into his blue eyes. Her hands moved up his muscular arms to his shoulders down his rippling chest to his obi.

He caressed her cheek, leaning closer to her. "Body, mind, and soul, right?"

She nodded as she tugged the obi free and his hakama came loose around his waist.

His clothes came off with ease.

Their hot, sweaty bodies were pressed together, their scents intermingling in the surrounding air. The bed sheets that had been getting in the way were tossed aside; Shuuhei didn't need the additional heat when he was holding something so much warmer. Her legs wrapped around him and he grinded against her hips, eliciting a soft moan. They couldn't contain themselves anymore; their wants and carnal needs were pushing themselves to the forefront. All the while his hands stroked her thighs, contemplating his next move. Suddenly, Shuuhei unhooked her legs and repositioned himself.

"Shuu?" Midori couldn't say his whole name anymore; she was too breathless to make the effort. She searched his eyes for an answer to this sudden change but couldn't find one amongst the other thoughts in his head.

Without a word, he claimed her mouth with his with an urgency that the woman was not used to. She felt something press against her sensitive area and another wave of heat flooded her body. Instinctively, her hands grabbed his back for support.

The rest of the night was filled with utter bliss.


	18. Chapter 17: The News

**A/N: This chapter was an interesting one. I wasn't sure if I should keep what I had going or change the whole direction of the story. In the end, I decided to keep it because it wouldn't hurt the story in the long run. Moving past that, Perhaps, I will take care of the final plot hole in the next chapter or the one after: what happened between Midori and Shuuhei after she was out of jail? That shouldn't take more than two chapters (I already started it offin the dream) and I'll most likely post them on the same day to get them over with. So, moving on, following the timeline of Bleach, last chapter happens around the start of Ichigo's training; this chapter starts a little before the kidnap of Orihime. So enjoy. **

**CHAPTER 17---The News:**

"You can't be serious, Unohana-taichou!" Midori exclaimed once the shock wore off. The idea wasn't plausible. After all, this was _her_ they were talking about. Ono Midori, the third seat of Squad Ten. Ono Midori, the former fukutaichou of Squad Three. Ono Midori, the only daughter of Ono Shinichi and Kagami. She could accept those titles; she just refused the one that Unohana and Isane were trying to force onto her.

"But Ono-san," Isane said. "You just admitted that you've been sexually active. And I doubt that Unohana would make such a careless mistake."

"You want me to redo the test?" Unohana asked politely.

Midori shook her head slowly, forcing herself to accept the truth. She remembered herself saying, _"Can you imagine how horrible of a mother I would be?" _Now that she tried to see it, she realized she couldn't see what kind of mother she would be. She couldn't even see how she would share this news with Shuuhei. She would need the rest of the day to find a way to drop this weight on him. However, she wouldn't have the rest of the day. In the next few hours there would be an Arrancar attack in the human world and the return of two shinigami who would not know the whereabouts of Inoue Orihime.

* * *

_Near midnight in the Seireitei. . . _

"I summoned you all here because you are the strongest in Gotei Thirteen," Yamamoto explained. He had called an emergency meeting and the fact that it was so late at night meant that something important had happened in the last few hours.

Midori looked around the table. All the squads, except for the Fifth and Twelfth, were represent by at least one person. For Squad One, it was Yamamoto and his fukutaichou Sasakibe. Soifon and Omaeda were present, representing their Squad. Izuru was also there for Squad Three. Unohana and Isane were both present for their squad. Byakuya was there but Renji, who was still in the living world, was not; Midori believed that he would be at this meeting too if he hadn't went on that mission with her taichou. Komamura and Iba were representing Squad Seven. Kyouraku, who sat next to Midori, was the only one there from Squad Eight. Shuuhei sat across from her, acting both as the taichou and the fukutaichou of his squad. For Squad Ten, Midori was present. She knew that Toushirou and Rangiku would have been present by her side. From Squad Eleven was Zaraki Kenpachi; Midori also believed the Ikkaku and Yumichika would have been next to him as well. And from Squad Thirteen was Ukitake. Midori smirked; these were the best that the Seireitei had to offer. She wondered how Aizen's best would compare.

"By now," Yamamoto continued, "you must have all known of the disappearance of Inoue Orihime earlier his evening during the Arrancar attack in the living world. There are two possible conclusions: either Orihime is dead or she was abducted."

"Why would Orihime-chan be kidnapped?" Ukitake asked.

"They think we'd go after her," Soifon muttered.

"Is she even that important?" Midori asked, raising an eyebrow. "I've heard of her abilities but is she even an asset to us?"

"Midori," Ukitake said in a tone that showed he didn't appreciate what the woman was hinting at.

The blonde looked down, grinning sheepishly. She took a deep breath and started over. "Sorry. That came out wrong. What I meant was, Yamamoto-soutaichou: is she worth risking our lives, the entire world's, to save?"

"No," Yamamoto replied. "She is not. Most likely, she has been killed."

There was a momentary silence as the other shinigami processed the idea. There were too many questions about it: was there something beneficiary about her death that it was worth all the trouble? It even seemed like a waste just to come out into the open, kill her, and run off. A little more time passed. Most accepted the idea; some had a little doubt.

"So what's the current situation in the living world?" Kyouraku asked.

Yamamoto sighed. "There is spiritual interference with communications between Toushirou's advance squad and the Seireitei. Once communications are fixed, they will return here. Which brings me to the next topic: the Winter War.

"By the end of December, the Hougyoku will be restored. We will strike before then. Hitsugaya Toushirou, Matsumoto Rangiku, Abarai Renji, Madarame Ikkaku, Ayasegawa Yumichika, along with the rest of you, will be the frontline. The Arrancar are powerful and we'll need all of your abilities. It is important that all of you prepare for the war."

"Excuse my interruption," Unohana started. "It's important to know that we'll definitely be one fighter short."

Yamamoto frowned. "Who?"

"Ono Midori, Yamamoto-soutaichou."

The blonde felt all eyes turn on her and she looked down at the table, pursing her lips together as thought about what the taichou had said. She knew what Unohana meant; it was about the fact that by the start of the war, she would be three months into her pregnancy. And now, the woman realized what this meant. She could not participate in the war, not when it was health risk to the baby. She sighed and leaned back into her chair, staring at the ceiling as she mulled this over. "I'll be fine, Unohana-taichou," she muttered. "I'm pretty sure I can fight." She could not sit around and be useless. That was not something she liked to be.

"Can you explain, Unohana-san?" Yamamoto asked, his eyes on Midori.

"I would rather Midori-san to tell you herself."

Midori sighed when the old man's eyes landed on her. "It's not a big deal, Yamamoto-soutaichou. I'll be fine."

"But is a big deal," Isane suddenly said, her eyebrows furrowed. "This does not only affect you but the rest of us as a whole. By December, it will be a trimester. You get 'morning sickness' which includes nausea and vomiting, dizzy spells, possibly cramps, tiredness, weight gain---!"

Kyouraku grinned at the image of a fat Midori. "You're making it sound as if Midori got knocked up or something, Isane-san."

Isane stopped in mid-sentence, surprised that the man had guessed dead on. Unohana sighed, slightly glad that she didn't have to be the one to say the news. Midori cast her glance down, not willing to make eye contact. She was blushing like crazy as she imagined the little light bulbs slowly going off in the heads of her fellow shinigami.

"Oh," Kyouraku said loudly. He glanced at the blonde's stomach, seeing that it was remarkably too flat, and thought that this was some joke. But then again, after staring at the blonde's expression, he didn't think it was a joke anymore. And she wasn't denying it either.

Suddenly, Zaraki chuckled at the 'joke'. "I knew it was bound to happen but I didn't think it would be so soon. Shows you exactly what's been on her mind."

Midori slid down her seat, wishing she could disappear as all eyes were on her. Zaraki continued.

"Then again it takes two, right, Hisagi?" Zaraki added, patting the Squad Nine fukutaichou on the back in a congratulating manner.

Midori wished that everyone was taking this as lightly as Zaraki. Some people, judging by their expressions, didn't know what to say on the matter. The blonde could only imagine the look on Shuuhei's face, one that she didn't want to see. He was not suppose to find out like this; it made her look like she had been keeping this away from him. Midori looked at Yamamoto instead and saw the serious expression on his face. She raised an eyebrow, not sure what she did was so wrong. If he was upset that their meeting had taken this turn, why not divert it back. She was upset too; she didn't want the conversation and thoughts directed on her. Then Yamamoto spoke in a voice that caught everyone's attention:

"This is unacceptable!"

Midori's eyes widened. She didn't know why she felt shocked; she knew he wasn't excited about the news but damn. It wasn't necessary to show his 'repulsion' at the idea.

"Because of your irresponsible actions, we have to make up the slack."

"Are you really blaming me for this?" Midori asked in disbelief. She was sure that the attack was directed at both her and Shuuhei but she felt that he believed she was the underlying cause of this.

"You knew that a war was approaching and with the defection of three taichou, the Gotei 13 is not as full strength! To pull such a stunt so close to the war is---!"

"You honestly think I _planned _this?" Midori interrupted him. "Do you think I would choose _now _to bear a child? That I would _purposely _fuck up the Seireitei for some sick amusement just to watch the world burn down to the ground and have Aizen do some stupid happy dance---!"

"Ono Midori," Yamamoto said warningly, picking up Hisagi's movement.

"---Or maybe it's been over a thousand years since the last time _you _f---!"

Shuuhei clasped a hand over her mouth. He was glad that the shock had worn off a few seconds ago; he had stopped his fiancée from burying herself in a hole. He could only imagine what her last few words would have been and apparently so did the other shinigami in the meeting. Their faces were either appalled, shocked, or entertained.

"Mood swings, huh, Old man Yama?" Kyouraku said jokingly, trying to ease the tension in the room.

Shuuhei, seeing that Midori relaxed, let go of her mouth and slowly walked back to his seat. Midori sighed and looked down. "Sorry," she said, sitting down. "As you were saying, Yamamoto-soutaichou, about the current situation."

As Yamamoto continued, the woman watched as Shuuhei slid back into his seat noiselessly. Their eyes connected and Midori mouthed a quick 'thank you'. The man sighed, nodded, and looked away. Midori sighed as well, wondering if he was upset at how she had handled the previous situation. Then it occurred to her that he could possibly be upset at the news. _Maybe he doesn't want this now_, she thought to herself and she couldn't understand why the idea hurt her so much.

* * *

After the meeting, as everyone cleared out, the third seat stayed back, offering her apologies to the soutaichou until he told her that no more was necessary. Then she hurried out the meeting room to find Shuuhei. She found him outside, leaning against the wall, talking to Izuru. They noticed her standing by the entrance. Izuru walked off as Shuuhei headed in her direction. The blonde met him halfway and looked down at the ground sheepishly.

"So," she said as she contemplated hard about this.

"So," Shuuhei repeated, his eyes on her.

"I'm pregnant," she said.

"We can start there then," Shuuhei commented.

As they walked toward Squad Nine Headquarters, he asked, "When were you going to tell me?"

"Well, I just found out this morning," Midori muttered. "And trust me, my intention was not to let you know through a meeting."

The crickets of the night chirped loudly, making their silence slightly bearable.

"How long?" Shuuhei got out.

"About a month I guess."

"You guess?"

"They count it funny. I count it as a month cause I know when we---you know what I'm talking about. They insist from the last period. But anyway," Midori added as an afterthought, "it hasn't been that long so abortion is still an option."

Shuuhei stopped walking immediately, forcing Midori to turn around. She saw the look on his face and she grinned sheepishly. "Just saying my options. Along with carrying this thing through."

"Are you saying that---!"

"No, I mean . . ." Midori stopped talking and found better words to use. "As far as I'm concern, I can't do anything. I'm suppose to be one of the Seireitei's best defenses and now, no one can pick up my slack. That's why this bugs me. I am, for once, useless."

"So, now you're thinking about getting rid of the baby."

Midori sighed and looked up at the sky, trying to get her thoughts together. "Do _you _want me to bring our child into this world?"

"Midori, it's your body. You have to carry it."

The woman folded her arms. "Funny," she said sarcastically. "I thought somewhere before conception, you said that my body belongs to you. Now that it's about to go undergo a few changes, you suddenly change your mind. When I choose the one that you don't want, are you going to say something then?"

The man scratched his head, wondering how bad her mood swings would be in the near future based on her current attitude. "Midori, I'll support you no matter what your decision is, even if it's not the one I want. So choose what's best for you."

Midori smirked. "Like I know what's best for me."

Shuuhei pecked the woman on the cheek. "I need to go finish some work. Go home and rest in the mean time. I'll be home in the next half hour or so."

"Okay," Midori replied and the two went separate ways.

* * *

_-DREAM-_

Midori inhaled the surrounding air and sighed.

Fresh air. Outside air. The first breath of real, clean, outside air in over twenty years.

She looked back at the prison and narrowed her eyes. If she could, she would burn that place down for separating her from the world, from the people important to her, from Shuuhei. Yes, that was one way to get revenge on the Gotei Thirteen who wronged her so long ago. Locking her up like she had done wrong and letting the bastard of a taichou walk free to torment other souls still within his reach. If she saw him anytime soon, she would . . .

The woman stopped her thought there. She would not attack him, could not attack him. Yamamoto had warned her about causing trouble when they unlocked her cell. He had made it clear that he didn't want to hear her name associated with any problem within the Seireitei. So today, at least, she would avoid any fight that invited her in.

She headed for the Squad Nine headquarters, eager to see the man had that plagued her dreams for so long. Quickly, she rounded a corner and almost ran into someone. Stepping back, she realized that it was Ikkaku. Yumichika was next to the third seat and gave Midori a funny look.

The blonde huffed slightly. "Ikkaku."

"Midori." Ikkaku looked down at her as if he was trying to be intimidating. Midori looked back at him unflinchingly, clearly daring him to say something insulting. The man smirked. "Haven't seen you in a long time. Didn't expect to see you at all. At least not for another hundred years or so."

"If they kept me in there any longer, I would have had a death list or something."

Yumichika studied Midori. She was in her shinigami robes but something was missing. He soon realized that it was her lieutenant badge. He frowned. "So what are you?" Midori stared at him and Yumichika elaborated. "What rank?"

She huffed again and folded her arms. "I don't have a seat."

Ikkaku laughed. Midori shot him a murderous glare.

Yumichika ignored his friend. "And what squad?"

"Seven," Midori muttered, rolling her eyes. "Look, Yumichika, I just want to know where Shuuhei is. That's all I care about right now."

"He's on a mission right now," Yumichika replied, slightly taken back by her attitude. "He'll be back later."

"Thank you," Midori muttered, purposely pushing her way passed Ikkaku. She wondered how she would pass the time. She didn't feel like going to Squad Seven Headquarters to meet her new taichou. She wanted to relax first and decided a drink or two would be enough to drown out the storm building up inside of her. She knew that she was capable of strong hate; that much was certain when she thought of Ichimaru. But, this time, it felt it was directed at the entire Gotei Thirteen in general. She hated the way they ran things in the Seireitei. If she could become a taichou, even soutaichou, maybe her opinions would be heard.

She smirked as she walked into the bar.

Hell, she could change how everything was ran.

And maybe all the bastards she hated could be punished.

"Oh my god, Ono's here . . ."

Midori looked at a table near her. The people around it hushed suddenly and turned the other way. The blonde looked around, not surprised to see people passing glances in her direction. They were talking about her already and it had only been an hour since she got out.

"What's the big deal? Why's everyone staring at this chick?" Someone whispered too loudly.

"That's Ono Midori, she's tried to murd---!"

Midori slammed the table the group was at and leaned forward in a casual manner. "I hope you're not talking bad about me," she smirked, already registering the fear in their eyes. _Must be weak or something_, she thought to herself as she stared down at them. The room got quiet but she paid no attention. She was focused on the group of men, wondering if she should make a lesson out of them for all the gossipers in the room or not.

"Are you?" She reiterated, the smile disappearing behind her eyes. All she could hear was her voice and footsteps. Footsteps she could care less about. "Aren't you going to say something?"

"We weren't, Ono-dono," one of them finally got out.

"I hope so or I might hurt you," Midori said. _Why the hell is everyone so quiet? _The footsteps got louder and Midori finally turned around to see who it was. Her eyes widened.

Kira Izuru was walking in her direction. Behind him was Ichimaru Gin. Now she realized why everyone was quiet and staring. They had been waiting for this moment to see what _she _would do. Would she let him walk by or would she attack him? She told herself to stay calm, to relax and look away. But she couldn't. She was waiting for him to say something for his grin got wider and wider with each step.

"Long time no see, huh, Midori-chan?"

Just the sound of his voice made her blood boil and before she knew it, she was walking toward him. Punching a taichou wouldn't be so bad, would it? Just as long as it was one good punch that knocked him out, right? At the last minute, Midori decided that right or wrong no longer applied.

_-END DREAM-_

Midori suddenly woke up and rolled over as Shuuhei sat on the bed. "Hey," she said sleepily, wearing a grin on her face. She saw his bare back and was eager to have his body press against her, wanting his body heat to keep her warm under the covers tonight.

He looked over his shoulder, slightly surprise to her voice. "I woke you up?"

The blonde nodded.

"Sorry," he apologized.

"It's okay. I was waiting for you but I fell asleep. I guess I was really tired."

Shuuhei lied down on his back, placing his hands behind his head. He looked at the woman and smiled when he saw her smile. She snuggled closer and he wrapped an arm around her body, pressing her into his skin. Then he kissed her forehead. "Tomorrow you have the day off," he stated.

Her eyebrows furrowed together. "Why? I have work to do."

"Don't worry. I'll take care of it."

"You can hardly take care of your own squad's," Midori muttered, not liking the idea. "At least let me---!"

"Midori, for _your _sake, I'll take care of your work. So don't worry about it."

The woman sighed, seeing the determination on his face. It wouldn't matter what she said; he would tie her down if he needed to get the point across. "Fine. But if I get bored, don't expect me to stay here."

"I know . . . Just to let you know ahead of time, in case you think about it tomorrow, I told Squad Eleven not to let you near their dojo. The same for the other squads."

A frowning Midori pinched him in protest and Shuuhei laughed as he flipped her on her back. The two messed around for a bit before deciding to go to sleep. Midori fell asleep first. He looked at her, seeing that she was peaceful and not frustrated as she had been in her previous sleep. Then he too drifted off to sleep, dreaming of the different ways their life could go.

* * *

Midori woke up late. With Shuuhei gone, she felt lonely. So right after she ate breakfast, she got dressed and headed to Squad Ten Headquarters. He had offered to do her work and thought that he would be there so she could take over, whether he wanted her to or not. She did not need to feel any more pathetic in her situation than she needed to be.

She opened the door of the office and was surprised to Hitsugaya Toushirou behind the desk and Matsumoto Rangiku on the couch.

"Hitsugaya," Midori said, her eyebrows raised. "Your mission's over?"

Rangiku, at the sound of Midori's voice, sat up and ran over. "Congratulations!"

"For what?" Midori asked.

"The baby!" Rangiku exclaimed. "Since your parents are already taking care of the wedding, you have to let me plan the baby shower. No excuses."

Midori rolled her eyes. It seemed that she was losing her voice on important issues. She no longer had control of her wedding; her parents insisted that since they were paying for it, they would plan it. The only power she had was to invite a few people who she wanted. Then the Gotei Thirteen was keeping her away from battle, deciding what she could do and what she couldn't do. Then Shuuhei was setting restrictions based on what was good for the baby. Now, Rangiku wanted to throw a baby shower that she saw no point in. She was now wondering what rights she still had left.

"How do you know about the baby?" Midori asked, just realizing that she never said a word about it since she walked in. _Don't tell me the whole Seireitei knows._

"Hisagi-san told us," Hitsugaya stated, not too please that Midori had refused to acknowledge his proper title. "He was doing your work because he didn't want you to stress so much."

"That's what he said," Midori replied. "He wants to take all necessary precautions in case I decide to keep the baby." _It's like he thinks I'm a hazard to the baby_, she thought wryly to herself.

"So you're not sure?" Rangiku asked, interrupting Midori's train of thought.

"Decision's still pending," Midori said as she sat on the couch. "With a war coming up and all---!"

"That's not a good enough reason," Matsumoto cut in, already sensing what Midori was considering.

"Matsumoto," Toushirou said, "Midori has a point."

"All I'm saying that she needs to choose wisely. She can't choose a decision that would have her wondering if's, but's, and maybe's later. It has be something she won't regret."

The third seat arched an eyebrow at her fukutaichou's words of wisdom. What Rangiku had said made sense, too much sense to her.

There was a knock and Toushirou told the person to come in. The door opened and there stood Shuuhei. Immediately his eyes landed on Midori and the blonde gave a little wave.

"Would you mind if I borrow Midori, Hitsugaya-taichou?" Shuuhei asked.

"Go ahead," the young taichou muttered, going back to his paperwork.

No sooner than when the door closed behind them, Shuuhei wrapped his arms around her and pull her against his body, kissing on the lips. "Morning," he said.

"Morning," she replied dreamily. "You needed something?"

"Do you want to have lunch later?" He asked. "That way we can talk about things."

"Good," Midori said, looking away. "'Cause I decided to keep the baby."

Shuuhei raised his eyebrows. "Really?"

"Yeah," Midori responded. "I decided it would be the best option."

He grinned and kissed her again. "I was hoping you would say that," he admitted.

Through the office door, the couple heard Matsumoto's voice: "I told you she'd keep it! Now I have to start planning the best baby shower! It's only a matter of time before I'm the godmother!"

Midori sighed and tilted her head against the wall, earning a stare from her fiancé. "I already feel sorry for this child and it's not even born yet," she said, her mind thinking of Rangiku, Ikkaku, Yachiru, Kenpachi, Kyouraku, Soifon, Yumichika, Renji, and so on. She wondered if this would truly be a healthy environment for her future child to grow up in. And to think the whole time she had been worried about what sort of influence she would be.

Midori looked at Shuuhei. "One more thing," she said, certain that Rangiku nor Toushirou would hear her over those cheers.

"What?"

"If for some reason, you and the rest of the frontline falls and Aizen finds his way to the Seireitei, I will fight. At that point, running away wouldn't do any good; most likely he will try to kill the rest of the Gotei 13 and anyone who would oppose him. Oh, and if you die for any reason, I will find you in the living world and kill you, understand? Because I would not forgive you."

"That's more of a reason not to die," he said. "Besides everything we have planned after this war. Since none of this is happening, don't stress yourself out now."

"Okay," she said.

Shuuhei embraced her tightly and whispered by her ear, "Trust me, everything will be fine."

She had to.

**A/N: I hope this was a good chapter. Thanks to yrenne, cheeky half-demon, Foca, and I3Bleach for reviewing. Next chapter, Shuuhei leaves to go the human world to guard the pillars. Unfortunately, I'm stuck. The released manga chapters are not passed the Arrancar fight with the taichou, which is shortly after Shuuhei's fight. So what do you want me to do? Make up the story line from that point on (but vague about it) or wait for the chapters I need to be released? Let me know! Till later.**


	19. Chapter 18: The Past Within Pt 1

**A/N: First of all, I'm sorry I haven't updated this story in the last few weeks. I wanted to update it by the end of last month but failed miserably. I had college stuff, homework, and a serious case of the much unwanted writer's block. I didn't neglect the story at all because I do plan on finishing it. Though, the manga chapters are taking a while to come out and I don't know how long it will take me to finish this story.**

**So, since I don't really want to deviate from the storyline at this point and those that reviewed had similar opinions, the next few chapters will be "fillers" I guess. This is the first chapter of the "after-jail" arc, when Midori gets out of prison. Basically, it's a continuation from that dream snippet in Chapter 17. The purpose of this chapter is get rid of that tiny plot hole. There are lots of time skips in this chapter so sorry if it seems a bit choppy. I must admit, I had a lot of trouble with this one and I'm not pleased with it entirely. I guess because this is the old side of Midori, not the improved one. Anyway, hopefully you peeps will enjoy it.**

Midori knew that during day, when she was awake and aware, every bad thought and ordeal that had happened to her could easily be suppressed. However, when she was asleep, every one of those things easily surfaced in her dreams.

**CHAPTER 18---The Past Within the Nightmare, Pt 1:**

Midori made up her mind as she approached the Squad Three taichou. She would punch Ichimaru in the face, quickly draw her sword, and ram it through him. Save the Gotei Thirteen the time from discovering what sort of a bastard he really was. Just thinking about it made her feel that she was doing the Seireitei some good.

She was less than five feet away when Izuru moved and stood in her way. She stared at him slightly confused until she saw the badge on his arm. _So he's the new fukutaichou of Squad Three_, she thought as her brown eyes lingered on it. "Move aside," she ordered, taking a step forward.

Izuru held his ground. "It's my duty to protect my taichou."

"I don't give a damn what your duty is," Midori stated. "Move or else I'll throw you out of my way."

"It's okay, Izuru," Ichimaru suddenly said, his smile never wavering.

"Taichou." Izuru stared at his Ichimaru in disbelief. Did he really want to deal with her?

Ichimaru's gaze settled on the blonde. "Ya don't honestly believe that Midori can hurt me, do ya?"

"No, sir," Izuru said, slowly stepping aside, his eyes still on the woman.

Midori stomped over and decided to swing left. Ichimaru caught her fist without a problem.

"Have ya gotten that slow, Midori?" He grinned maliciously. He started to twist her arm and heard her wrist crack. "Are ya sure you want to continue making a fool of yourself?"

"Depends," Midori said through gritted teeth. "If you die at the end of it, sure, why the hell not?"

Ichimaru dropped his voice. "And what would your beloved Shuuhei think?"

Midori kick upward, aiming for the side of his head. However, before she had a chance to do so, or to even see Ichimaru's reaction, Tousen caught her foot by the ankle. The blonde stared at the Squad Nine taichou in confusion. Had he been here? No, she was certain he had not. She wondered if her spiritual awareness had diminished over the years.

"Shouldn't you mind your fuckin' business, Tousen?" She said through clenched teeth, hopping a bit so she would fall over.

Gin laughed, thoroughly pissing her off. "You should watch that tongue of yours."

Midori forcibly yanked her hand and leg back from the two taichou. She rubbed her wrist and decided that she would have to examine it later.

"You were supposed to meet Komamura-san half an hour ago," Tousen said.

Midori wished that the man could see the exaggerated way she rolled her eyes.

"Obviously I'm here because I don't want to go," she said in an irritated voice. And because she still had her sight, she saw Tousen's face of disapproval immediately. It was a pity that he couldn't see her face in return.

"Someone like you should never have been allowed to rejoin the Gotei Thirteen. You're dangerous, Ono Midori."

"Dangerous? That's a new one." Midori gave Ichimaru and Izuru a nasty look before huffing and folding her arms. "Tousen," she said, "Tell Komamura he'll see me when I'm ready."

"I think ya forgettin' who the superiors are," Ichimaru stated.

"Then I guess Komamura can spend the whole morning waiting for me to come!" She exclaimed.

"That's no way to talk to Ichimaru-taichou!" Izuru interrupted. The woman turned on him, having a few good words to say to the man who replaced her position in Squad Three.

* * *

"So what did she say?" Renji asked asked Izuru.

"I can guess," Shuuhei muttered.

Shuuhei had just returned from his mission. Before he could have ran into Midori, he ran into his two fellow fukutaichou outside of Squad Nine Headquarters. Now, he listened to Izuru's recount of this morning's events concerning his girlfriend.

Izuru sighed. "Then she told me, 'Who the' blank 'asked you for your' blank 'opinion?' Then she stormed off."

"So what are the blanks about?" Renji asked. "You forgot what she said?"

"No. Just a word I'm not use to saying."

Shuuhei thought about the story. It didn't seem like Midori. He knew that she wasn't as respectful as she could be but that sort of disrespect was unheard of. And the fact that she was cursing at his taichou, who was a good man and did nothing wrong? He didn't want to believe it. He told them that, what he truly thought about this. Surely there had to be some reason for her irrational behavior.

Renji snorted. "Yeah, like when she attacked you."

"Or when she tried to kill Ichimaru," Izuru added.

"Shuu-kun!"

Shuuhei turned around and saw the Squad Eleven taichou walking toward them, Yachiru waving furiously at them.

"Are you looking for Ono-dono?" Yachiru asked.

"You know where she is?" Shuuhei said.

"She's at our dojo!"

"Really?" Shuuhei asked, surprised. A long time ago, when Midori had attacked Ichimaru, most of the taichou had been upset because of her actions. Zaraki had been upset for a different reason. Because Midori had a love of fighting, even after transferring to Squad Eight, Zaraki still considered her as part of his squad. When he heard about her fight with Ichimaru, he had seemed entertained and disappointed that he missed it. Until he heard about her using kido spells. Today, he still believed that Squad Eleven and kido don't mix.

"Yeah!" Yachiru said excitedly. "She can come whenever she wants!"

Kenpachi grinned. "As long as she never uses a kido spell."

_That's why_, Shuuhei thought. "I better go meet her," he said, bowing slightly to excuse himself.

"Whatever," Zaraki muttered and the three fukutaichou left.

Shuuhei, Renji, and Izuru headed immediately to Squad Eleven Headquarters. As they walked through the place, injured members walked passed them, complaining about some 'bitch'. Then there were the unharmed men carrying their unconscious buddies to the Squad Four Headquarters. Shuuhei almost wanted to laugh out loud. It didn't take long to find the dojo, with a few seated officers waiting outside. Already through the doors, they could hear Ikkaku, saying in an agitated voice:

"Are you done warming up yet?"

"Give me a few more guys and then we can fight."

Shuuhei raised an eyebrow at the squad members. _That's why they're waiting outside here_, he thought as he, Renji, and Izuru passed through the small group to the door. They opened it and immediately heads turned.

"Shuuhei!" Midori exclaimed, grinning as she ran toward him. The fukutaichou didn't have a chance to react; she jumped on him and wrapped her arms and legs around him. Then their lips collided. After all those years, Midori had forgotten how to kiss. That it actually involved moving lips and maybe even tongue. Soon, she corrected all her mistakes and realized that she was not sated yet. Despite this, she pulled away. "Hello."

"Hi," Shuuhei replied, somewhat speechless. Though he had originally come her to talk to her about her behavior, he lost heart. He didn't want to destroy her obvious happiness and decided they could talk another time about everything.

* * *

_A week later . . . _

Shuuhei was helping Tousen with the squad's ridiculous amount of paperwork when Komamura entered the office. Shuuhei was use to this routine. After all, the two taichou were good friends. And so he put all his energy and focus into his work until Komamura said _her _name. Ono Midori. The Squad Seven taichou was talking about her lack of respect, her reluctance to make an appearance at work, and other bad traits that came with her.

"There's nothing pure about her," Tousen said.

Shuuhei let out a barely noticeable sigh. He had been meaning to talk to her about that and a few other things. However, they kept on slipping his mind. He and Midori had been so busy catching up that nothing else seemed important. And she hadn't acted much different toward him. However, he knew he had to deal with this soon. There was no one else she would listen to besides him.

"I'll talk to her," Shuuhei offered.

Komamura appeared as if he was about to thank him but didn't say anything. Tousen did, however.

"You can try but it won't make difference."

* * *

"What do you want to talk about?" Midori asked, jumping onto the bed they had been sharing the last several days. It was part of their new accommodations. Before she had went to jail, Midori had been renting. Unfortunately, the landlord did not reserve her place and because Midori was short on cash, she couldn't get a new one. So, Shuuhei had offered her to stay with him for the time being and she had obliged. It had been great. Coming home to each other, catching up, kissing, sleeping in each other's arms. But this topic was going to ruin that great preset mood; the man could sense it.

Shuuhei didn't know where to start. He sat down to her and asked, "How was your day?"

Raised eyebrow.

"Okay. How was yours?"

"Pretty good. How is it working under Komamura-taichou?"

A funny face.

"Okay."

Shuuhei noticed her expression of dislike. "Really?"

"Why are you suddenly so interested?" Midori asked. "Did Tousen say something?"

The fukutaichou frowned, easily picking up on her lack of honorifics. Even the way she said the name hinted some sort of animosity toward the man.

"Sometimes Komamura-taichou complains about your actions," Shuuhei said. "I'm just saying---!"

"You're not seriously reprimanding me, are you?" Midori asked. Shuuhei raised an eyebrow at her abrasiveness and the woman sighed, tossing her head back. "Can we do this some other time? I don't need to think about this crap."

"We can't."

Their eyes met for a moment, giving the other enough time to see the conflicting views between them. Midori broke away first, sighing heavily. "I get it now. You're siding with Tousen."

"This has nothing to with Tousen-taichou."

Midori got off the bed suddenly and faced him, folding her arms. "Really?" She stated, trying to keep calm but the whole situation was frustrating. All day, Squad Seven members had been nagging her to come see Komamura. She couldn't have a peace of my while fighting. And now, when she had believed that she had escaped all that----

"This is about us," Shuuhei corrected. "We haven't talked once about what happened before you . . . We just need to talk some things out."

"Fine," she said, giving up. "Start."

"Remember that day when you attacked me----!"

"Didn't Kyouraku explain to you?" She interrupted, trying to block out the mere memory of that day. "You're alive because of me."

"I know that. I don't know how you were so sure I was going to die."

Midori opened her mouth but closed it after a second thought. There was no way she could explain her behavior while sounding sensible. Seeing things that were not there, her relationship with Ichimaru, those were thoughts she wished not to share with anyone, not even him. "Does it matter?" She asked, hoping he would say no.

"It does," Shuuhei stated, standing up. "And why did you attack Ichimaru in the first place?"

"You honestly think he's _justifiable _and all _noble _like your taichou?"

"I know that you and Ichimaru don't get along some---!"

"You don't know anything."

"Tell me what I _don't _know."

"I can't. It's too complicated."

"Why do you have to keep things to yourself?"

The woman shook her head. "You don't trust me now?"

Shuuhei sighed loudly and ran a hand through his hair. He couldn't remember a time when they had argued so much. Usually, by now, they would have literally kissed and made up. However, the frustrated look in her eyes was not changing and it was clear that the tension was still in the surrounding air. Midori shook her head, muttered something about a hot shower, and left the room.

* * *

A few days after the incident, Shuuhei was hanging out with Renji, Izuru, Rangiku, and Momo in a café. He would have spent time with Midori but they hadn't been on great terms since the argument. Though at times she had seemed like she was going to say something like an apology, one had not been said. She wasn't willing to sleep next to him either, an indication she still harbored some anger. The whole situation had been stressing him out and it showed. Renji didn't miss a beat.

"Women troubles?" The redhead asked.

Shuuhei looked up sharply, realizing that his friend was talking to him. "What would make you say that?"

"I haven't seen you and Midori together for a while and you're moping," Renji said.

Rangiku thought about it. "Hm, that is true. What happened?"

"It's kind of stupid," Shuuhei muttered, wondering if _he _should apologize to Midori. Looking around, he spotted Ikkaku and Yumichika buying food. He wondered if the two knew where Midori was. "Madarame!"

Ikkaku walked over. "What, Hisagi?"

"Have you seen Midori?"

He snorted. "I see her everyday. She's at the Squad Eleven's dojo, fighting nonstop."

"So what did you do?" Yumichika asked Shuuhei.

"What do you mean 'what did I do'?" Shuuhei asked, wondering if him and Midori were so easy to read.

"Well, since all she wants to do is fight, I'm assuming she's mad about something," Yumichika said.

Shuuhei raised his eyebrows. So they _were _easy to read. "I don't know. You have to ask her why," he told Yumichika.

"Maybe," he said, looking at Ikkaku. "We better go."

"Why don't you two stay here with us for a bit?" Rangiku suggested.

Ikkaku shook his head. "I have to bring Midori her lunch," he replied and lifted up the bag in his left hand. He earned a few funny looks from the group. "She's been fighting all day and I want to fight her at full strength," he quickly explained.

Renji grinned. "If you say so."

The café door opened and the chimes went off. Midori walked inside and headed to the small gathering. She reached Yumichika and placed her arm on his shoulder, leaning on him for support. Her brown eyes settled on Shuuhei. The moment he looked at her, she averted her gaze. _I have to apologize to him later_, she thought. The last few days, she had been working on the perfect apology. She wanted to get it over with but it was not perfect yet; it did not express the entirety of her remorse.

"I was coming, you know," Ikkaku muttered to Midori, upset that he had wasted his time for nothing.

Midori sighed. "I know but I had a meeting with Yamamoto and he demanded that I go to Squad Seven Headquarters immediately. So I came to pick up my lunch on the way."

"Are you scared of me?" Ikkaku smirked. "'Cause every time we have to fight, you run away."

Midori returned the smirk without fail. "I can take you on any day, Ikkaku."

"Then how about today?"

The blonde sighed. "I have to see what Komamura has to say first."

"I think it's pretty obvious," Ikkaku stated. Midori elbowed the man. He grinned. "Why bother denying it? It's obvious what you're up to."

"You're going to attack him?" Izuru said before he could bite his tongue.

At this Midori chuckled, but the acid was still there. "Are you an idiot or something? Ichimaru is the only one that needs a sword rammed through him." She saw the expression on Izuru's face and felt pleased with herself. She had successfully traded one insult for another.

"What did Ichimaru-taichou ever do to you?" Izuru demanded.

Midori rolled her eyes. "You know what I realized since I came back? All you fukutaichou are delusional in some way to the point you're kissing the ground your greater-than-thou taichou walk on! And the funny part of it, they're not that great. Half of them are jackasses anyway."

"Are you saying---!" Izuru started but never finished.

"Of course Ichimaru's a jackass! What---!"

Shuuhei covered Midori's mouth before this could escalate any further. Did she realize what she saw saying? Lucky there were no taichou in the room but there were still the gawking subordinates who would talk about which specific six or seven taichou she was talking about.

He knew she had this side of her but it never came out so bad. And it was bothering that she was refusing to let him help her in the slightest. She refused to tell him a word about what was on her mind or what was bothering. For some reason, it hurt him more than any attack she could fling at him.

Midori back away from his hand, eyebrows furrowed. She turned around and left the café without a room. She seemed to do a lot of that those days.

* * *

It was nearing midnight.

Midori stood outside Shuuhei's living quarters lost in thought. She decided she would have to apologize for what happened a few days ago. She should at least do that much. Then she could worry about making it up to him later. She had never seen him so pissed off before and it was obvious that most of it was at her. And Komamura's long speech did not help her feel any happier. But she would forget about that part of her day; her prime concern was Shuuhei.

Swallowing her pride, she prepared to knock on the door. It opened before she could proceed to do so. Shuuhei moved aside and Midori came in. One look at his face and she knew he wanted to say something. This time she would listen to everything that was on his mind and she would not interrupt. She sat down in a chair by the table and he sat across from her. He didn't start right away; he looked at the floor. But because he owed it to her, he met her eyes.

"Midori, I've been thinking about the last week or so. You haven't been yourself."

Midori bit her lip, deciding not to defend herself. She was not in the mood for another argument.

"I love you a lot, Midori, but . . ."

She raised an eyebrow, already not liking the direction of the conversation. Was it paranoia telling her to interrupt or was it her pride? She bit her lip, waiting for him to finish the statement. Then he looked away and she finished it in her head in fear. It wasn't the words she envisioned but it was close enough.

"I think we should take a break for a while," he said in a low voice.

Midori looked at the floor, pursing her lips.

He quickly added, "Just until you sort out your issues by yourself."

The woman got up. "Thanks, Shuuhei. Thanks for taking away the only thing that mattered to me."

"Midori---!"

"You might as well say that 'it's over' and make it official. You don't have to worry about my feelings. This is something not worth crying about."

Shuuhei looked up and saw that she was lying already. He stood and followed her to the door to somehow resolve this, explain this better. But the moment he reached out for her, she knocked his hand away. She opened the door and yelled over her shoulder, "Follow me and I'll hurt you ten times more than what I did to you before. I can promise you that without a problem."

She closed the door and started down the road. The door reopened and she flashstepped out of the area.

Midori thought about her options. Tonight, at least, she would have to stay with someone. Immediately, it could not be Rangiku, Kyouraku, and most of her acquaintances. She would have to explain why she needed to crash at their place for a while and if not, they would hear about it tomorrow. The whole Seireitei would. She could deal with the mockery but pity, she could not stand it. She had too much pride to know people actually pitied her because her boyfriend decided to dump her. She needed to stay with someone who would not pity her, who could careless about her breakup and wouldn't ask questions.

She stopped in front of a door and knocked impatiently. "I know you're in there!"

Someone who wouldn't give a damn whether she felt sad about what happened tonight.

The door opened. "What the hell do you want at this time of night?"

Someone like Ikkaku.

"I'm crashing here for the night," Midori said, pushing her way passed the third seat and into the place.

He rolled his eyes and closed the door. "You're sleeping on the couch."

And for once, she wouldn't complain about his attitude toward her. She needed his harshness more than anything. Anything to make her forget her own problems.

**A/N: Because I don't want to dwell on the past too much and wanted to get on to the present, the next chapter will be the finally part to this. Anyway, thanks to Xx-Away-From-The-Crowd-xX, cheeky half-demon, Foca, yrenne, and I3Bleach for reviewing. I'll try to put up the next chapter as soon as possible.**


	20. Chapter 19: The Past Within Pt 2

**A/N: I didn't mean for this chapter to get so long. Well this is the last chapter for the past arc because I am now officially done with it. So next chapter, I will write about the present stuff: Midori, the baby, hopefully the recent Bleach chapters (poor Shuuhei!) and stuff like that. Expect one around Christmas because by then, no more college stuff! Woot! Anyway, thanks to cheeky half-demon, Foca, I'llxBexUrxEnigma2010 (cool! You got an account!), and Marika-Uchiha for reviewing. Also, thanks to those who have added this story to their alerts/favorites lists and those who stuck with the story this far. Enjoy.**

**CHAPTER 19---The Past Within the Nightmare, Part 2:**

Two months had passed since Midori had moved in with Ikkaku. She had been worried at first but he had no problems with her crashing there for as long as she needed to. In addition, he never bothered asking what happened between her and Shuuhei, something she was grateful for. Best of all, he didn't waste his time pitying her like Yumichika or Kyouraku, saying that they were sorry about the break up.

The thought of it upset her.

She avoided most of them like the plague. Especially Shuuhei. There was no need for communication between them and so she watched him from afar. Midori wondered if he noticed how much she had changed. Besides her short, green-dyed hair and usual scowl, she wanted to know if he saw how much stronger she had became, that even if Komamura kept her unseated, she would still beat him. For every pain he inflicted on her, she would cut him back. And for every pound of misery he dropped on her, she would double it.

Although these thoughts were meant to spur her on, Midori did not feel like getting off the dojo floor. Apparently her body was too sore from being thrown around. She listened to the approaching footsteps.

"You want to take a break?" Ikkaku asked, walking over to her lying form.

She looked at the third seat and shook her head in response. "Not until I get bankai."

"Well too bad 'cause I'm taking a break then," he grumbled. He walked over to the wall and plopped down, his back leaning against the wood of the dojo. In a minute, the blonde crawled next to him. He glanced at her and then straight ahead into the empty dojo. He sighed. "Bankai, huh?"

"Why is it a surprise?" She muttered, glancing at the bleeding scrape on her arm.

Ikkaku unscrewed the cap on the hilt of his sword and tilted it toward Midori. Midori took some of the hidden ointment and started to seal the wound.

"I don't know," he replied, putting the cap back on. "You never seemed so committed to work before."

Midori sucked her teeth, catching on quickly. She didn't bother going to Squad Seven Headquarters anymore and she had a few good reasons why. For one, Tousen would likely be there to visit her taichou. The man despised her. Two, his loyal fukutaichou seemed to follow right behind. As her mind went to Shuuhei for a quick second, she remembered something that had happened last night. She huffed suddenly and Ikkaku gave her a funny look.

"What is it now?" He asked, clearly irritated. Judging by her face, he knew where the conversation was going.

"What does Matsumoto have that I don't?" Midori said, her brown eyes on him.

"Besides the obvious?" Ikkaku muttered, glancing at her chest momentarily.

"They're perfectly fine!" She suddenly exclaimed.

"How the hell would I know?! I never seen them before!"

Midori blushed, slightly taken back. "Well, that won't happen any time soon!"

"Who said I wanted to see them in the first place?!"

The door slid open and Yumichika stepped in. He had heard all the yelling from outside. "What do you want to see Ikkaku?"

"My breasts!" Midori said indignantly.

Yumichika raised an eyebrow.

"I never said that!" Ikkaku exclaimed.

"Why are you talking about that?" The fifth seat asked.

"She's comparing herself to Matsumoto," Ikkaku muttered, his face red. The idea of a topless Midori was not helpful. How the hell could he fight her with images like that on his mind? As Yumichika talked to Midori, he tried to get his mind out of the gutter.

"I don't think anyone can compare to Matsumoto in that department," Yumichika said, wondering how he got into the bizarre conversation.

Midori frowned. "Is _that _why Shuuhei's hanging out with her?"

Ikkaku groaned. _If she doesn't shut up about Hisagi . . ._

Yumichika shrugged.

The woman sighed. "He's so shallow. Trying to replace me with her just because----"

_Where is she getting this from_, Yumichika thought. _Is she just that conceited or . . ._

"---And who does Matsumoto think she is anyway? Anyone can tell that she has big breasts with her top closed. I don't see the point of flashing them to the world unless she trying to steal husbands and boyfriends. Makes sense she's all over Shuuhei now and he can't resist because he is such----!"

"Can you stop bitching?" Ikkaku interrupted. "After hearing the same crap for several weeks, it gets annoying."

Midori tilted her head back against the wall and stared at the ceiling as if the answer to all her problems was there. "I still don't get it though," she said.

The third seat sighed and stood. "If you really want to know my opinion on it," he said after awhile, "You don't behave like a woman should. I mean with the make up and girly stuff. That's the difference."

"Really?" She asked, getting on her feet. After sitting still for a while, she was only half as sore as before.

Yumichika felt that he was out of the picture and decided to watch the scene unfold. It was strange seeing the two not arguing but meeting each other halfway for once. He supposed that this was why Ikkaku and Midori could live under the same roof. They were capable of compromising. Maybe it was something more. Mutual understanding? Yumichika shook his head. Definitely not that.

Midori looked at the floor. "You think so?"

Ikkaku averted his gaze. "You're fine the way you are," he admitted grudgingly.

"But Shuuhei doesn't believe that," she stated. She headed for the door. "I'll see you two tonight at the bar. Prepare to be surprised."

She left the dojo in hurry.

Yumichika grinned in amusement. "Now she's going to be girly."

Ikkaku snorted. "Like that's possible."

* * *

The bar wasn't packed until after eleven o'clock. Eleven o'clock was the ideal hour since most of the shinigami finish work by then. They needed a stress reliever and what better way than to party the stress away. Or so Rangiku said. Somehow, she convinced Shuuhei, Izuru, Renji, and even Momo to come along. And because Momo was coming, Toushirou was with them as well.

"This is going to be fun!" Rangiku said, the bar in full view. The lights from inside poured out onto the path.

"This is so stupid," Toushirou muttered as they walked inside the crowded place. "What's the point of coming here?"

"You didn't have to come, Hitsugaya-ku---I mean, taichou," Momo corrected quickly.

"Someone has to baby-sit all of you," Toushirou stated. Truth was, he didn't want to leave Momo alone with the others. Not only could she not hold her alcohol, she was the most vulnerable. She would be even more so once all the others got drunk and no longer had any awareness. Momo was important to him and he wanted to make sure she would be okay.

Rangiku pointed to a table. "I see Yumichika and Ikkaku. Let's go over there."

"That's not a good idea," Renji said immediately. "Let's find somewhere else."

"_She's _not there," Rangiku said. "And they got a whole table to themselves."

"But she _might _come," Renji said.

Shuuhei sighed. "I don't care if Midori's there or not. Let's just go."

Rangiku and Renji exchanged glances before the whole group when over to the Squad Eleven members. Yumichika and Ikkaku looked up, surprised to see the group pulling up a few more chairs.

"Hi," Rangiku greeted. "Where's Midori?"

"She's not here yet," Yumichika responded, his eyes shifting toward Shuuhei. He missed the man's reaction by a second. _No way to tell how he feels about her now. _

"How is she?" Momo asked.

"Haven't you heard the rumors?" Izuru said.

Momo frowned. "What rumors?"

"She cut her hair and dyed it green," Renji stated.

"Fact," Yumichika said.

"She's cursed out a taichou the other day."

"Exaggeration. She said a curse and Zaraki-taichou stopped Soifon from killing her."

"Ono Midori, right?" Toushirou asked. He had heard of the woman from several taichou but he had never had to deal with her. When he saw Yumichika nodded, he frowned. If she was coming, he hoped that she would be respectful.

"What else you've heard?" Yumichika asked, finding this interesting.

Renji thought for a quick bit. "She's been sleeping around with Ikkaku since last month or so?"

Yumichika was about to say something but paused. He had caught the slight twitch at the corner of Shuuhei's mouth. It was clear that the very idea of Midori sleeping with another man bothered him. Grinning, he glanced at Ikkaku.

"Is it true, Ikkaku?" He asked. "I would answer but I don't live with you and Midori."

"No," Ikkaku said immediately. "Who's dumb enough to actually think that?" Renji and Rangiku grinned sheepishly and looked down at the table. Ikkaku scowled. "Why the hell does it matter anyway? She's not with Hisagi anymore. She can do what and whoever she likes."

Yumichika caught that twitch again. As a warning, he elbowed his friend in the ribs. Ikkaku did not need to get into some fight with a fukutaichou. Though Shuuhei was like Tousen in many ways, the man might attack Ikkaku if he kept talking about his ex-girlfriend.

They got their drinks, except for Toushirou who ordered nothing, and Yumichika thought that they could drink their troubles away. Then trouble walked through the door. He wouldn't recognize it if it wasn't for the short, green hair. And the way most of the men in the bar was gawking at her, Yumichika knew that the woman had succeeded in "girlifying" herself. The short dress, the high heels, the red lipstick.

Yumichika raised his eyebrows. Was he the only one at the table who noticed that the bar was quieter than before or heard the heels clicking on the floor? Was he the only who saw the transformation Midori had undergone in the last few hours?

Ikkaku followed his friend's gaze and sputtered his drink. Then everyone else turned around, some of their eyes wide and some with their mouths hanging open. Only one raised an eyebrow in disapproval. However, Midori paid no attention to their stares; she was only here for one reason. She walked around the table slowly, trying to decide who should she use. Then she made up her mind. She stopped behind Ikkaku and wrapped her arms around his neck. She bent over and placed her face next to his.

"Hello, Ikkaku," she said, her gaze on the person ahead of her. Her brown eyes met his blue ones before looking at the third seat in her arms.

"What the hell are you wearing?" Ikkaku muttered. _If she actually believes I'm going to go along with whatever this is . . ._

"What are you talking about?" Rangiku said. "It looks great on her, right Renji?"

"It . . . does," the redhead answered uncomfortably. He was sitting next to Shuuhei and the man had him on edge.

"What do you think Ikkaku?" Midori asked. "Do you think I look great?"

"Sure," he responded reluctantly.

"Thank you," she chirped and kissed Ikkaku on the cheek.

Ikkaku looked away from the others, who stared at him accusingly. The only one that found this amusing was Yumichika because he knew the truth. Midori was actually trying to make Shuuhei jealous and from the look on the Squad Nine fukutaichou's face, it seemed to be working.

* * *

Shuuhei was silently suffering. Watching Midori flirting with Ikkaku was not how he had intended to spend his night. And seeing her seated on Ikkaku's lap, his arms around her waist, did not improve his mood. Did she honestly like Ikkaku? Was that why she was dressed in that outfit? Or was she trying to get some other man's attention? Hopefully his because he would find that slightly flattering. But if it wasn't . . .

He raised an eyebrow, hearing another vivacious giggle from his ex. Whatever Ikkaku had whispered, Midori had found it entertaining. The idea he was promising something explicit crossed Shuuhei's mind. Ikkaku might not be sleeping with Midori but there were other things he could easily do to her when they were alone. So many possible things.

Shuuhei finished his shot and placed the empty glass on the table. The drink didn't numb anything.

"I'm going to go," Midori announced, stretching her arms above her head and arching her back. Her brown eyes landed on Ikkaku and she stood up. "I'll see you home soon, right?" She asked with a feral grin.

Ikkaku stood. "I'll go with you. Coming, Yumichika?"

"Sure," the man said, getting onto his feet. "We'll see you guys around."

"See you tomorrow," Rangiku called out at their retreating backs.

After a minute of consideration, Shuuhei stood up. "I got to go. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Okay," Renji said unsurely as Shuuhei sped out of the bar.

He wanted to catch Midori, to pull her aside and talk to her. The fukutaichou needed to say his true feelings. The man was sorry for taking away the one thing that mattered to her: their relationship. He needed her to know at least that much. Then maybe she wouldn't consider going for other men. As long as she knew that another man could never be suited for her the way he was, he could hang on a little longer.

Shuuhei looked up and down the streets he passed, wondering where she went. Then he heard her voice.

"Is that so?" There was no hint of flirtatiousness; it was just plain old Midori speak.

"Yeah. I know so."

Shuuhei could easily tell that was Ikkaku. He walked up the street corner slowly and peered around it. He saw Yumichika, Midori, and Ikkaku standing there. Ikkaku looked irritated; Midori seemed pissed off. Hisagi decided that he would wait until they were done talking and then make his entrance.

"She was just trying to prove a point," Yumichika said.

"I never said that she couldn't be girly," Ikkaku retorted. "I said she doesn't act like it all the time. And this whole thing is more than what I said."

"Why would I give a damn about what he thinks anyway?" Midori snapped. "He doesn't give a damn about me."

"Yeah. That's why he was giving me death looks every time I touched you."

Shuuhei didn't know how obvious his feelings were. It was true that he had, at one point, wanted to pull the two apart and hold Midori near him. Maybe punch Ikkaku while he was at it. Then, he could take Midori home and show him how sorry he truly was.

"He must have been jealous," Yumichika said.

Ikkaku snorted. "That was the point!" Ikkaku said. "She used me in her little scheme to get to him."

Midori rolled her eyes. "You thought I was trying to make him jealous? I wasn't. I was just trying to hurt him."

Shuuhei raised an eyebrow.

"Hurt him?" Yumichika reiterated.

"I've been tormented for the last two months. If he has one night of pain, I'm good. It has nothing to do with me making him jealous. It's payback for making me miserable."

Shuuhei frowned. Payback? Did she honestly believed he did that to her on purpose? Was she seriously that stupid?

"I'm over Shuuhei," the woman continued.

"Really?" Ikkaku challenged. Suddenly his voice went high pitched. " 'I wonder what Matsumoto has that I don't have besides a better body and bigger boobs. Maybe if I dress like a whore tonight---!'"

Midori swung her fist and hit Ikkaku in the face.

Shuuhei stared in shock as he watched his ex-girlfriend flashstepped out of the area. He didn't know what horrified him most: that Ikkaku called Midori a whore or that she attacked the third seat like that. Shuuhei swore he heard the impact from where he stood.

_Does she hate me or something? _Shuuhei wondered as headed home. He decided he wouldn't confront the woman tonight.

* * *

The next morning, Midori walked through the Seireitei alone. Last night, she did not return to Ikkaku's place after that comment. She felt sort of disgusted with herself and sort of ugly, even with a few men hitting on her. Because she had been so mad at him, she had slept on the roof tops. Now, dressed in her shinigami uniform, she supposed Ikkaku had a point. She couldn't believe she gave up these wonderful robes for her outrageous outfit last night.

Midori shook off the feeling and saw her fukutaichou rushing toward her.

"Ono," he said. He thrust some papers at her. "Take these to Tousen-taichou."

"I'm not in the mood," Midori muttered, wanting to get to the dojo already.

"As your fukutaichou, I order you to do so now."

"I don't have to listen to you."

"I'm not going to take yer crap right now. Take them!"

Midori rolled her eyes and snatched the papers from the man. Iba walked away and Midori turned around. She reached Squad Nine Headquarters in a matter of minutes. As she walked through the halls, she got a few stares. Maybe because she no longer looked like a "whore".

She knocked on the office door.

"Come in."

She recognized Shuuhei's voice and hesitated. Convincing herself that this would be quick, she opened the door and rushed in. She didn't see Tousen at his desk. Only Shuuhei occupied the room, working on paperwork. Rolling her eyes, she dropped the papers on the taichou's desk and then hurried to the door.

"Payback, Midori?"

The woman stopped, surprised to hear her name. She turned around and saw that Shuuhei was looking at her. "You actually have something to say to me?" _Payback? What is he talking about?_

"Let me make one thing perfectly clear with you, Midori: whatever stupid game you're playing is not going to work."

"Game?" She questioned, taking step toward him.

"You all over Ikkaku last night," he stated, getting onto his feet. "You thought I'd be jealous of _that_?"

"How are you so sure that was about you?" Midori challenged.

"I'm not stupid. That was some revenge scheme because I hurt you months ago. You honestly think I did that deliberately?"

Midori stared at him, wondering how he knew all that. Immediately, Ikkaku came to mind. Once she reached the dojo, the third seat would be in for a bashing. Just because she punched him in the cheek was no reason to blab to Shuuhei like this.

The woman folded her arms. "Well, I don't know. Maybe because you trying to tell me 'we-need-a-break' bullshit! I'm not stupid either. I know what that really means. Then you ignored me like I didn't exist. On top of that, you and idiotic friends always have something bad to say about me."

"So you dressed up like a whore because of that?"

Midori didn't say anything because she didn't know how to respond. She looked away, trying to gather her thoughts. However, she heard Shuuhei muttered:

"You're so immature."

Her head snapped toward him, her eyebrows furrowed. "Immature?" She repeated incredulously and shook her head in disbelief. Again, she felt furious. Just when she thought she would remain numb, the anger came rushing through her veins. "Do you even know me anymore?"

"I don't know anymore." Shuuhei moved out from behind the desk, his blue eyes on the woman before him. "You're not the woman I fell in love with it."

Another wound to her heart. Midori couldn't take it anymore. Blow after inflicted blow, she was tearing up inside. However, she didn't want to break in front of this man. She didn't want him to know that she had a weakness. She didn't want to feel vulnerable.

"I guess Matsumoto is the woman you're in love with now," she said, rushing to the door. Suddenly Shuuhei grabbed Midori and slammed her against the wall, pinning her against it.

"This is why you're immature," he said. "You always have to say something dumb like that. If you're so concern about whether I know you or not, then why not just tell me what's going through your head? Why do you have to act like this? With me?"

Suddenly, tears came to her eyes and she turned away from him. "Leave me alone."

"Why are you always running away? Midori . . ." He took hold of her chin and forced her to look at him. Then he saw the lone tear on her cheek and he could tell there were more to follow. He forgot about how upset he was at her. His face took on an expression of guilt.

"Leave me alone, Shuuhei," Midori muttered to keep her voice from cracking.

"If you're going to try to use on of your kido tricks, it won't work," he said, sounding firm but not angry. _Great I made her cry_, he thought. _I'm such an idiot._

Midori reached for a flower pot and chucked it. Shuuhei moved away in a matter of seconds. He stared in horror as the flower pot broke on top of his paperwork. All the hard work he had put into them the last few hours had been wasted. The water ruined the papers, causing the ink to spread and turn into blotches. Due to the racket, a subordinate opened the door nervously, seeing Midori and Shuuhei standing still.

"Fukutaichou?" The young man said. Midori ran passed him and out the window. Confused as hell, he looked back at Shuuhei, who thoroughly looked pissed off. He gasped as his fukutaichou punched the wall.

"Where's Tousen-taichou?" Shuuhei asked.

"Uh, he just returned sir."

* * *

Midori was in her taichou's office, sitting across from Komamura, his desk between them. Also in the room was Iba, Tousen, and Hisagi. She didn't bother looking at anyone. She held her head down, wondering what would happen now. She already knew what this was about. The paperwork that she had ruined. Although Komamura had his helmet on, she could sensed that he was upset.

"I tried everything to make this transition easier for you. I allowed you to go visit Squad Eleven everyday. I gave you more freedom than most of my subordinates. The only reason I put up with your nonsense the last few months was because of what your old taichou told me."

Midori snorted. "What would Ichimaru know?"

"I'm talking about Kyouraku-san."

She looked up. "Kyouraku?" She couldn't believe what she was hearing. The last time she had spoken to the taichou of Squad Eight was when she got out jail. She simply told him thanks for helping her out of execution. Since then, they had no more conversations. Now that he was mentioned, she felt bad for ignoring her friend like that. Now that she thought about it, she had been ignoring a lot of friends.

"He always tells me that you're a good person and that it takes a while to get through to you. That is the only reason I agreed to keep you on my squad. But you've only been causing trouble since you've been here! And then destroying important documents like that!"

"It wasn't my fault," she muttered.

"You always have to blame your mistakes on someone, don't you? You can never once take responsibilities for your actions. Do you think it's Ichimaru-san's fault for you going to jail twenty years ago?"

Midori didn't answer. She wondered how many times had she blamed someone else for her mistakes. She could think of a few major incidents but were there more than that? She closed her eyes and sighed silently. _Was this what Shuuhei meant when he said "immature?" _

"You will rewrite every document you destroyed today," Komamura said.

Midori opened her mouth to protest but then she shut it.

"If I hear that you do anything again," Komamura warned, "Yamamoto-soutaichou will deal with you personally."

"I understand, taichou," she said grudgingly. She stood up, looking on Komamura. "No more trouble. And I'll get started on those papers right away, sir."

"Good."

Midori sighed and looked out the window. Immature. Troublesome. Irresponsible. Apparently, that was what she was and she didn't like it. From now on, she was going to change. At least become a little more bearable for Komamura-taichou. And act a little more mature to reach Shuuhei's standard. The woman forced herself not to look at the man. Hopefully she would become the woman he knew.

* * *

_A several months later . . . _

It was late afternoon. Shuuhei and Tousen visited Komamura again. While his taichou talked to the other one, Shuuhei talked to Iba. Suddenly the door opened and everyone became quiet. It was Midori. The last few months had given her time to change.

He had heard of recent promotion to the fifth seat of Squad Seven which meant she was on good terms with Komamura. In addition, she had been talking more to Kyouraku and few of her other old friends. Though they haven't talked, Shuuhei was glad that she was almost her old self.

Physically, she had cut her hair short like a boy's; the longest part was the bangs that kept going into her eyes. It was mostly blonde now with green tips left over from the last dye session. Although he preferred her with long locks, Shuuhei still found the woman attractive. He stared at her but she didn't return the stare; she walked passed him, shuffling some papers in her hand as she approached her taichou.

"Here is that report you wanted," she said, handing them to Komamura.

"Thank you," Komamura said.

Shuuhei watched Midori stretch. As she lifted her arms above her head, the kimono sleeve fell down and revealed a bandaged forearm. He frowned. _What happened to her?_

"Taichou?" Midori started.

"Hm?"

"Can I get the rest of the day off?" She asked, sweeping her bangs out of her eyes. "Since a thunderstorm is coming?"

Komamura stared before nodding his head. Midori said thanks and then hurried out of the room.

"She's seems to be doing better now," Shuuhei commented.

"She is," Iba said.

"What happened to her arm?"

"It was burned," Komamura explained. He saw Shuuhei make a funny expression and the taichou went into detail. "When her zanpakutou is released, it can attract lightning bolts and temporarily use them as extensions of the blade. The binding around her arm acts as a shield from the shock up until a certain point. When it reaches that point, the lightning actually leaves the sword and goes into her arm."

"Is that some suicidal zanpakutou she has?" Shuuhei asked in shock. "She does know that if she's not careful, she'll die, right?"

"She only cares about power," Tousen stated. "And therefore she does not fear the weapon she wields in her hands. Anyone who does not is unworthy of their sword."

"I think she does fear it," Shuuhei said in her defense. "She's just not the type to admit."

* * *

Midori swung her blade high above her head, watching the lightning attached to it move in a circular motion. She could feel the static in the air. _7, 8, 9, _she slowly counted in her head. Then she felt a pain in her arm and quickly she released the lightning bolt. It flew and it hit a tree, splitting it in two. _Eleven seconds_, she thought. _For a radius of ten feet. _

The thunder boomed for the sixth time in twenty minutes. A slow drizzle started and she pended if she should continue training or not. She felt that bankai was on the tips of her fingers. A part of her believed that if she continued, she would get it. Another part deemed that was unlikely.

The zanpakutou black ribbon unraveled itself from her forearm. Then she unwrapped the bandages on her arm and saw the new burn mark. Grimacing, she wrapped it back up again. Lightning struck nearby and Midori used her zanpakutou to catch it. The bolt attached itself to the blade and she started again, testing her skill and her luck. After ten seconds, she kept going, curious to see how much she could push it. The burning got intense but she ignored. She wanted to make to at least twenty-five seconds. When she reached twenty-two, she lost control. The lightning bolt shot down her and into her body. She flew backward and hit the ground.

Her vision darkened. When it did become bright again, she was in different world. She was on a platform and she was able to see the city beneath her. She found it odd that the city was dark and the sky was only a shade lighter. She heard the thunder and saw the flashes of lightning.

"Am I dead?" She said out loud, half-hoping someone would answer her. Midori turned around and saw giant lightning bird. She frowned in confusion, wondering what kind of place this was. Then it hit her; that was her zanpakutou.

* * *

"See, Iba-san? She's breathing."

Midori opened her eyes. Her vision was horribly out of focus; her mind was disoriented. "Kinzoku Raimitsu?"

"Huh? What the hell are you babbling about? Do I look like your zanpakutou to you?"

Midori blinked and was able to make out the shapes. She reached for the black blur and grabbed it, pulling herself up. "Ikkaku?"

"Did you seriously became stupid?"

"She did get shocked by a lightning bolt," Iba said. "Look at her shoes."

Midori remembered now. Her attack had backfired and she had been knocked out. Now that she was somewhat aware, she realized that she wasn't sure if had any legs. The only thing she could feel was the burning sensation in her arm and the rain that hit it. Her zanpakutou reverted to its original state and she heard the funny sound Ikkaku made.

"Is it that bad?" She asked. Everything felt surreal to her that she was wondering if this was a dream.

"Second degree?" Iba wondered out loud, taking a good look at her arm.

Midori grabbed Ikkaku's shirt. "Do me a favor?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'll get you to Squad Four."

"Not that."

"What then?"

"Just asked Shuuhei if he hates me."

There was silence as the two men exchanged looks.

"Baka, ask him that yourself," Ikkaku said.

She felt her body being lifted up.

"We're taking you to the infirmary," Iba said; he was the one who picked her up.

Midori nodded and closed her eyes. _Kinzoku Raimitsu . . . That is my bankai, right? _She would have to test that theory later. If it was, then she could say something to Shuuhei, whether he hated her or not.

**R****ÈVE FINI**

Midori woke up with a jolt and looked over. Shuuhei was still sleeping peacefully, undisturbed. She sat still, wondering what she had dreamt about. Something about Shuuhei hating her, she believed. She shook her head and smirked. She lied back down and wrapped her arms around her fiancé. _Like Shuuhei could ever hate me_, she thought before falling asleep. This time, she slept peacefully.


	21. Chapter 20: Wedding Prep

**A/N: Happy New Years! I wanted this chapter up sooner but I had a case of writer's block. This chapter wasn't suppose to happen until much later, like after the Winter War. But I changed my mind. Next chapter will be the wedding. This chapter, Takehiko and Yohei, Midori's brothers, are introduced. Unfortunately, they weren't characterized full out. Maybe I'll do a better job in the next chapter. **

**CHAPTER 20--Wedding Prep:**

"_She's what?!" Shinichi exclaimed, getting onto his feet immediately. Kagami, still sitting, stared in horror at the couple before them. Suddenly she tugged on her husband's sleeve._

"_I can see the extra weight," she said quietly, her blue eyes on her daughter's stomach._

"_I haven't put on that much," Midori insisted, now anxiously glancing down at herself._

_Shinichi turned and pointed at Shuuhei. "This is all your fault!"_

_Shuuhei, for once, couldn't defend himself against that claim. If it wasn't for him, Midori wouldn't be pregnant. His fiancée had mentioned that maybe they should tell her parents later but he had wanted to get it over with. Now, staring at her father's livid face and her mother's horrified one, he should have been more patient. _

"_Illegitimate children?! I knew this would happen!"_

"_Maybe no one will find out," Kagami said. "We can easily move up the wedding. It's only been a month right?"_

_Midori nodded slowly._

_Kagami sighed and looked at her husband, a bit more composed. "We'll move up the wedding and when the baby's born eight months later, we'll say it's just premature. That happens, right, Shinichi?"_

"_Do you know how much money that will cost? To change the date? Recalling invitations---!" _

"_Is not changing it worth the embarrassment?"_

"_It's really not that bad," Midori interrupted. A glance at their faces and she knew that Shuuhei should have saved the wonderful news for later. Or until her parents figured it out in the next four months or so. Either way would have been better than this._

"_You may not care about our family name but we do," Kagami said. "It's bad enough that you're marrying him. Now you drop this upon us?"_

"_What will the new date be?" Shuuhei asked, making sure the Ono family haven't forgotten his presence._

_Shinichi looked at Kagami and then at his daughter. Then his brown eyes landed on his future son-in-law. "No later than two weeks from today."_

"_But that's too soon," Shuuhei said. "The Gotei Thirteen is still preparing for the Winter War."_

"_It's not my fault my daughter's pregnant," Shinichi interrupted. "But I have to pay the price because of your impatience. I knew nothing good was going to come out of this!"_

"_We'll have to start the preparations soon," Kagami said. "Last minute invitations, wedding dresses, decorations. Who else knows about this?"_

"_Only a few members of the Gotei Thirteen," Midori answered._

"_I hope that's all," Shinichi said. "No member of nobility can know about this."_

"And that's the story, Rangiku," Midori said, walking through the Rukongai. "My mother want's to take me dress shopping today."

"So you want me to come," Matsumoto said with a grin.

"You've met my mother before, right?"

"Yeah, of course. When she was talking about street scum and if Shuuhei had touched you in ways that unmarried women should not be touched."

"Please don't remind me," Midori pleaded, remembering how embarrassing that had been.

"So why are we here?" Rangiku asked, realizing there were walking through the residential part of town. "I thought that bridal shop was in another direction."

Midori stopped in front of a house and knocked. "I'm bringing an old friend with us."

The door opened and out stepped Aya.

* * *

Kagami was waiting inside the boutique when her daughter came through the door, followed by two other women. She recognized the bustier one but the one with the glasses she did not. Kagami stared at her daughter, wondering if she should complain. She decided not to and put on her greatest façade. "Mimi-chan," she greeted, standing up and giving her only daughter a hug. "Who are your friends?"

"I'm Rangiku."

"Aya. I use to go to the Academy with Midori-chan. Unfortunately, I never bothered becoming a soul reaper."

"She would have been great," Midori piped up.

Aya shook her head, smiling. "Nah. I never had the determination the others did."

Rangiku looked around the store and spotted the rack she was looking for. She grabbed Midori by the shoulder and turned the woman around. "We're definitely getting some lingerie!"

Kagami flinched. Surprising, Midori had the same reaction.

"No!" Midori said, horrified by the idea.

"You can't be selfish," Aya said. "You have to consider Shuuhei's feelings."

Midori looked at her friend. _Leave it to her to make this sound like an honorable thing._

"We have to get something that will make Shuuhei aroused but easy to rip off in a hurry. Something that won't slow down their performance."

"Yes," Aya said in agreement, though slightly red due to Rangiku's words. "Maybe something he can untie or even unhook without a problem."

"Maybe rip off with his teeth?"

"The boutique owner's here," Kagami interrupted. Her face was as red as Midori's but for a different reason. While Midori was blushing out of embarrassment, Kagami was blushing out of horror. Seriously. Was this all what these ladies thought about? How Shuuhei would remove lingerie off her daughter? The idea was an abomination. There was no way she was going to purchase lingerie and give it to her daughter. She would not condone that sort of behavior.

A man stepped out from the back room of the shop. His shiny, jet black hair was long and shaped his face. It made his green eyes stand out even more. As he moved forward with an unnatural grace, the back of his brightly colored haori swept out. He held his clipboard in one hand and a pen daintily in the other. He was checking off items before he noticed he had customers.

"Kagami!" The man flamboyantly exclaimed, rushing forth. He kissed the woman on each cheek and stood back. His green eyes landed on Midori. "This must be your daughter! The resemblance is striking although," he added, studying her attire, "she lacks your obvious grace. Who are the other two?"

Aya and Rangiku were searching through the racks of lingerie.

"Her friends, Yoshio," Kagami replied. "Ignore them. Focus on my daughter. I want an original, one of a kind garment."

"Traditional or Modern like in the human world?" The man asked, taking out his measuring tape. He grabbed Midori's arm and measured the length. Then he recorded it on his trusty clipboard.

"It's going to be a traditional wedding," Kagami replied.

"Make it modern, Kagami-sama," Aya said, picking up a ridiculous outfit.

"Yeah," Rangiku replied. "Modern weddings have the garter. Imagine Shuuhei searching for it under your dress, Midori."

"Shut up," Midori muttered, her face getting redder. How would that look to her parents? Not only that, Kyouraku and Zaraki would get a kick out of it, the former throwing some innuendos their way.

Yoshio frowned at Midori's hip measurements. "How did you ever get a fiancé is beyond me."

"He loves her ass," Rangiku responded with a grin before ducking behind the rack.

Midori looked at her mother and saw the expression of disgust. _Please don't let her mention any of this to Otou-san. _

Yoshio grinned. "Ah. So your fiancé is a pervert?"

"He's a gentleman," Aya corrected, able to see the Kagami's expression.

"Despite the 69 tattoo," Rangiku laughed.

The man looked at Midori with a smile. "He likes the 69, I take it."

"What is this 69?" Kagami asked, not seeing the amusement Rangiku and the man seemed to be taking in it. Sixty-nine after all was nothing more than a number, right?

"It's a notorious sex position!" The man exclaimed before diving into the explicit details.

Kagami went from shocked to horrified to pure furious. Her blue eyes landed accusingly on her daughter. "Don't tell me that's what---!"

"We've never done that," Midori protested, matching the perfect shade of a tomato. "And that's not even why he has the tattoo! It means something completely different! Can we please get back to the wedding dress?!"

"A white dress you want?" He asked as he recorded all the measurements down on paper.

"I don't know," Kagami said, her eyes on her daughter. "White means purity for a good reason."

Midori sighed. "How about a mix wedding? Modern and Traditional together?"

"That's not a bad idea," Aya chirped. "I like the bouquet throwing part."

"The best of both worlds, hm?" Yoshio commented, writing something down on the clipboard. "So you want decorations on the shiromuku, Kagami?"

"Maybe some silver trimmings and when I say silver, I mean real silver."

"I thought it was suppose to be plain," Midori said.

"Plain is for the poor, Mimi-chan," Kagami said. "You've obviously forgotten the life of a noble."

"And the uchikake?" Yoshio prompted.

Kagami looked at the man. "It will be red of course with intricate swans and lotus flowers and---!"

"Marigolds and irises and birds-of-paradises and daffodils and yarrows," Matsumoto added.

"Those are some good flowers," Aya agreed, removing a lingerie set from the rack, studying it and putting it back.

"Whatever they said," Kagami finalized. "All in gold and when I say gold, I mean real gold. Add some white in the red, _carmine _red, to give something like a haze effect if you know what I mean. The uchikake should be made of your best material."

"The finest silk, right?" Yoshio nodded to himself and wrote that down. "It will be exquisite. Anything else, Kagami?"

"No, Yoshio." The older woman looked at Aya and Matsumoto. "We're leaving."

"Hold on," Matsumoto said. "We have to pay for this lingerie. Midori, Shuuhei's going to love it."

* * *

The women walked through the Rukongai, heading for a restaurant for lunch. Once inside the wealthy atmosphere, Kagami looked around before spotting their table. Already there were Shinichi, Shuuhei, and two unfamiliar men. One of them, who had long silky brown hair and blue eyes, looked up. "Nee-chan!" He waved enthusiastically at Midori.

Midori grinned and dashed over. "Takehiko!"

Aya and Matsumoto stared in confusion.

"That's her favorite brother," Kagami explained as she walked over. Aya and Matsumoto, having no other choice, followed right behind. All four women sat down at the table, Midori on Shuuhei's right snuggling close to him, Kagami next to her husband, Aya next to Midori, and Matsumoto between Aya and Takehiko.

Aya looked around the table. Her eyes landed on Shinichi, who was no doubt the father. He was scowling and she supposed that was the usual. Then she studied Takehiko and the other brother Yohei. Both were incredibly handsome, Yohei with his blonde hair and Takehiko with his brown. Takehiko looked more like Shinichi while Yohei looked more like Kagami. Midori was the only child who had components from both parents. Now seeing the Ono family together, the picture was perfect.

As the appetizers were passed out, Takehiko started a conversation. "Nee-chan, I was very worried when father told me you were getting married to someone of the Rukongai. But then I saw him in person and I must say he is absolutely delicious. The muscles, the body, and the tattoos only add to the hotness. I never knew you had such good taste in men!"

"She has good taste in friends, too," Yohei added, his eyes on Aya and Matsumoto. It didn't take long for them to stray to Rangiku's chest.

"Hey, womanizer," Midori suddenly said. Yohei looked at his sister. "I suggest that you look at your food."

"I'm no womanizer," Yohei said. "I'm a pimpin' bachelor."

"What's the difference?" Midori muttered. "Both sound like bad things anyway."

"What would you know?" Yohei responded. He glanced at his soon to be brother-in-law. "So, Hisagi, you are going to have a bachelor's party, right? To celebrate your last night as an unmarried man?"

Shuuhei shrugged. "Izuru, Renji, and Ikkaku want to plan one."

"Really?" Rangiku said. "Me and Nanao want to plan a bachelorette party for Midori."

"What is the purpose of these bachelor parties?" Shinichi asked.

Aya smiled at a memory. "It would be nice if Yoshio-san was here. He would give you a thorough explanation."

At this Rangiku laughed. "A _very _thorough explanation."

Finally, waiters came with the main courses balanced perfectly on their arms. They dropped one in front of each person. Shuuhei took a whiff and was almost mesmerized by the smell. The steak laced in lemon zest and sprinkled garlic looked delicious and knowing that this was a five-star restaurant they were in, he was certain that it tasted delicious as well.

"I can have some, right?" Midori asked, drawing his attention to him.

"You have to share your marinated chicken first," Shuuhei said.

Takehiko sighed. "Nee-chan, how did you ever find a man like him?"

"Too bad I don't do bachelorette parties," Yohei said, bringing the conversation back to his business. His eyes landed on his brother. "You would have found the perfect man there. I only do bachelor parties. Speaking of them . . ."He reached into his pocket and whipped out a card. He passed it across the table to Shuuhei. "Give this to your friends who's planning your party. They might need my services."

The fukutaichou raised an eyebrow. "Services?"

"Yohei owns a red light district," Takehiko said before sighing heavily. "I only own a winery."

"You own a winery, Takehiko?" Rangiku's eyes lit up instantly. "Is there a chance you'll become interested in women again?"

Rangiku's mind was on the idea of an endless supply of wine; Midori's was on something completely different.

"You're kidding me," Midori said as her eyes landed on her parents. "You let Yohei own a whorehouse but you wouldn't let me marry Shuuhei?"

"Please, nee-chan," Yohei said, adjusting his collar. "_Red light district _sounds more professional. And unlike your engagement, my business venture was a beneficial one. Some of my highest paying customers are nobles. Even you're not so blind to see the advantages. And don't see why you're complaining. You're marrying the man, are you not?"

"That's not the point," she muttered.

"Yohei's right," Aya said. She leaned in closer to the blonde and whispered, "Even if he's a little lustful."

"Just call him a womanizer," Midori whispered. "No need to water it down."

"You don't have to whisper," Yohei said, his eyes on Aya. "If you're attracted to me, admit it."

"She's not," Midori said. "And neither is Rangiku."

"Speak for yourself," Rangiku said with a half-serious expression.

Midori rolled her eyes. _If it's not the wine, it's the money._

After everyone was done with their foods, the desserts were served. Some ordered cake while others ordered the ice cream with some rum poured over it. Unfortunately, Shuuhei and her parents forced Midori to get the double chocolate cake. They insisted that rum wasn't good for a pregnant woman.

"Not even a little bit?" Midori asked Shuuhei.

"How about a taste without the rum?" He asked, taking a small scoop without any rum.

"How about with it?"

"Without it," Shuuhei said, holding out his spoon. On it was some vanilla ice cream. Midori, giving up, accepted the morsel. Shinichi, who was sitting next to the groom, let out a small grunt. Apparently, he did not like his daughter using the same spoon as Shuuhei.

"Hisagi-san," Kagami spoke up. "We were thinking of building a house for you and my daughter on the estate."

"Next to your mansion?" Shuuhei didn't mind that they were willing to build a house for them. However, he did not want to live in such close quarters.

"Of course not," Shinichi said. "There's plenty of space. Our estate is bigger than even the Kuchiki's."

"That's an exaggeration, Otou-san," Takehiko said.

"Just as big."

Yohei sighed. "That's still an exaggeration."

Shinichi gritted his teeth. "What I'm saying is that our estate is big enough that you won't be in our way and we won't be in yours. You can ask Yohei and Takehiko. They live on the estate but in separate mansions in the east and the west. It will be a nice accommodation for you."

"We're okay," Midori said. "We'll manage with what we have."

"Is it big enough for the baby?" Kagami asked.

"How did I forget I'm going to have a nephew?" Yohei said with a smirk.

"It's going to be a niece," Takehiko stated.

"Guys are so much better than girls in the long run," Yohei said. "Midori is the prime example. It's a rarity when irresistible women, such as Aya-san and Rangiku-san, are born."

"Does it matter?" Midori intervened, slightly irritated that her brother was still hitting on her friends.

"Sort of," Yohei admitted after chewing it over some cake. "I _am _betting on it."

Midori gave him a fake smile and went back to looking annoyed. _They're already trying to make money off this child. Geez. Next thing, they'll want to get it involved in their businesses. No way in hell my child will come near that red light district. No way in hell. _

"The offer is still up," Kagami said.

"We'll think about it," Shuuhei said.

* * *

"A winery, a red light district," Aya listed outside the restaurant. Dessert had finished ten minutes ago and now the groups had already parted separate ways. Shinichi, Kagami, Takehiko, and Yohei headed for the estate. Aya was heading to her house but decided to walk with the others. Shuuhei, Midori, and Rangiku were heading in the same direction as her. Aya smiled. "You never mentioned any of this."

"Well I didn't know," Midori said. "My brothers left the mansion when I was little. I saw them off and on but I had no idea what was going on in their lives."

"Your family is interesting nonetheless," Aya commented with a grin. "I can't wait to see what the rest of your friends are like."

"You don't want to," Midori muttered. They stopped at intersection.

"Well, I got to go," Aya said with a wave, heading down her street. "Bye, Midori-chan, Hisagi-san, Rangiku-san!"

"Bye," Midori said, watching her friend leave. Suddenly Midori felt an arm wrap around her waist and bring her against a warm body. "So you want a stripper, huh?" The woman asked, her eyebrows already quirked.

"Renji and Ikkaku do," Shuuhei replied.

"It's not that big of a deal," Matsumoto said, reading the expression on her friend's face. "You're going to have one of those strippers that pops out of a cake."

"I don't want one!" Midori protested.

"You want a firefighter instead?"

"No. I don't need to see another man naked. Shuuhei's enough."

"It's not always like that," Rangiku said. "We can stop at the underwear."

"Just stop," Midori said shaking her head. She looked at Shuuhei. She was not letting him off the hook yet. "Do you want one?"

"I don't think so," Shuuhei said slowly. Midori gave him a dirty look and he grinned sheepishly. "We shouldn't worry about this now. It isn't until another two weeks."

"Fine."

Shuuhei looked at the plastic bag Rangiku had been holding. Now that he thought about it, she had been carrying it since she had entered the restaurant. "What's in the bag?"

Rangiku lifted it up. "Oh, this? Midori's sexy lingerie set. It's for your wedding night."

Shuuhei looked at Midori. "It was her idea," his fiancée muttered.

"You're going to love it," Rangiku claimed. "It accentuates the best parts of her."

Shuuhei raised an eyebrow, curious what sort of lingerie Rangiku had purchased for his soon-to-be wife. He wondered if Midori would even bother putting it on. Wedding day. So much weight was attached to the phrase and it made him slightly anxious. Marriage was going to be one hell of a milestone, that he knew. Now that he thought about the upcoming wedding and the future that would involve the baby, two weeks seemed longer than necessary just to hear the name "Hisagi Midori".

**A/N: Thanks to cheeky half-demon, I'llxBexUrxEnigma2010, and Foca for reviewing. Till later.**


	22. Chapter 21: Wedding Day

**A/N: This is such a fluff-filled chapter. Usually, I never write so much in my life but this was pure overload. For those who love huge doses, good. For those who don't, I'm sorry. I'll admit that I wish I had written this chapter better. So sorry if it doesn't meet your expectations. Anyway, enjoy peeps.**

**CHAPTER 21--Wedding Day:**

Midori stared straight ahead, longing to see Shuuhei and the faces of her family and close friends. The wedding was contemporary, incorporating both the new and the old. However, to Rangiku's dismay, it was more traditional than anything else. Midori sat next to Shuuhei, forced to look straight ahead at the Shinto Priest as he did the purification ritual. Midori thought she heard a sniffle in the room but couldn't see its source.

The woman could feel the overwhelming feelings swelling up inside. Then she felt that she was about to cry. She was going to wipe her eyes with her sleeve but stopped short; she remembered the white face powder and the black eyeliner around her eye. Since her wedding kimono was white, a black smudge would not look good. She blinked her eyes several times, hoping the tearing would stop. To distract herself, she adjusted the white hood or wataboshi on her head.

Midori heard Shuuhei speak and realized it was time for the vows.

"I, Hisagi Shuuhei, marry this woman . . ."

_He's talking about me_, she thought to herself. Everything felt so surreal; she couldn't believe this was her wedding taking place. When Shuuhei finished, she heard herself say, "I, Ono Midori . . ."

She spoke each word with a slight tremor in her voice and she became nervous. When she was done, she took a few deep breaths trying to get rid of the butterflies in her stomach. Though ceremony wasn't over yet, she was already picturing how everything would change, how different life would be.

The two miko maidens present in the room placed three different sized cups in front of the couple. Then they poured sake into each one. Midori relaxed a bit, easily remembering this part of the ceremony. It was called san-san-kudo. Shuuhei would start with the smallest cup and take three sips. Then she would do likewise. Then the whole process repeated for the medium and large cups. By doing the san-san-kudo, they were uniting their families, the Ono Family and Shuuhei's stand-in one---Izuru, Renji, and Momo.

After this, she and Shuuhei had to do only one more thing, which was to give offerings to the kami. Then she could finally change and prepare for the reception. She was excited and she couldn't wait for the rest of the day. She was certain this would be her first and last wedding.

* * *

"Wow," Kenpachi said as he sat at his assigned table. It was a table for nine. So far, only Yachiru, Yumichika, and Ikkaku accompanied him. Kenpachi looked around, ignoring the nobles' glances in his direction. He could care less that he was the only one in his shinigami haori.

The reception was in the Ono family's ballroom. The chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling were gold complimented with chains of diamonds. The elaborate vases and swan ice sculptures stood out against the white and red color scheme of the curtains and tablecloths. The large windows revealed the spacious, beautiful estate, which was the pianist chose that spot to perform.

Kenpachi grinned. "Hisagi must be happy. The benefits of nobility."

"Hisagi's not like that," Yumichika said, eying the decorated wine glass in front of him. He caught his reflection and fixed a hair that was out of place. "It just came with the marriage."

"Midori never acted like she was nobility either," Kenpachi noted.

"I doubt she cared," Ikkaku said.

"Or else she would have put more effort into her appearance," Yumichika added.

Zaraki saw Ukitake, Rangiku, Kyouraku, and Nanao coming toward their table. They took the empty seats and Zaraki greeted them with a nod of the head.

"I love your dress, Ise-chan!" Yachiru chirped.

"Thank you," Nanao said her eyes on the empty seat. "Who's missing?"

"Aya," Rangiku said.

"Aya?" Kyouraku asked with a grin. "A lady friend of Midori?"

"Yes," Nanao answered. "I met her at the bachelorette party."

"How come I wasn't invited?" Yachiru demanded.

"It was too grown-up for you," Rangiku explained. "I mean, there were men doing the most _provocative _things."

"Nanao-chan," Kyouraku whined. "How could you?"

His fukutaichou's eye twitched slightly. "You think I didn't know where _you _were last night?" She had heard much about Shuuhei's bachelor party, so much that there was nothing left to imagine.

"I was good, honest."

Rangiku looked over her shoulder and her eyes lit up. "Aya! Over here."

Kyouraku watched a girl, wearing pink floral kimono, walked toward the table. She looked uncertainly at the chair between Matsumoto and Kenpachi. Unlike most of the surrounding people filing into the ballroom, she had no striking presence. She seemed so plain and simple. Kyouraku raised an eyebrow. "When you said she was a friend of Midori, I expected something different."

"Like what?" Rangiku asked.

"I don't know. Someone out there, a little less reserved."

"Hi," Aya greeted quietly before taking her seat. She took a glance in Zaraki's direction, took in his massive size, and went back to staring at her lap. Then she adjusted her glasses and twirled a loose curl of hair. She could tell all their scrutinizing gazes were in her direction. "Um, I'm Aya."

"I'm Yachiru!" said the pink-haired fukutaichou. "And this is Kenny!"

"Yumichika, pleasure to meet you."

"Ikkaku."

"Ukitake Jushirou."

"And I'm Kyouraku Shunsui. My Nanao-chan told me you met her last night at that party."

"I did," Aya said, feeling more awkward. "Um, I guess you all must be good friends of Midori-chan."

Ikkaku snorted. "Some less than others."

"Don't pay attention to him," Yumichika said, seeing the look on Aya's face. "So, are you of nobility?"

"Me? No. I'm no one special really. Just someone of the Rukongai unlike most of the guests here," she added, finding somewhere else to look. "I guess they must know Ono Shinichi-san."

"That explains why Omaeda is here," Ukitake noted. "I thought it was weird since he doesn't like Midori. Is Soifon here as well?"

"Haven't seen her," Kyouraku said. "But I did see Kuchiki with his family in the hall. They were talking to some Masakazu guy."

"Didn't we meet him?" Ikkaku asked.

"Yeah, we did," Rangiku said. "Before we left for the living world."

"Right. The guy her parents wanted her to marry."

"I'm glad Ono-dono---!" Yachiru stopped in mid-sentence, frowning. "Can I call her that anymore? I need a new nickname, don't I?"

"You're right," Rangiku said. "What do we call her now?"

"Hisagi?" Yumichika suggested.

"No," Yachiru said. "That's what people call Shuu-kun."

"We'll ask her later," Kyouraku said, his eyes going on Nanao. His fukutaichou wasn't looking at him; her eyes were on the entrance.

"Looks like all the tables are filled," Nanao commented. "They must be coming in soon."

Everyone quieted down and their table did the same. Shinichi walked into the room, followed by his two sons and his wife. The Ono family was followed in by Renji, Izuru, and Momo. They walked to the empty table and stood behind their seats. Their eyes went to the ballroom entrance. Soon, the rest of the guests -- nobles, relatives, and shinigami -- stood and stared at the door. Then Shuuhei walked in. On his arm was his wife, Hisagi Midori, who was wearing her red-and-white uchikake and little makeup. The room erupted into applause as the newlyweds went to their seats. When Shuuhei and Midori sat, their guests did as well. The only one who remained standing was Takehiko.

"Thanks for coming here today to celebrate the union between these two amazing people," he started. "Tonight, I'll be your master of ceremonies. This reception is a mixture of the traditional and the modern, contemporary I call it, and it will seem a little different to those who are into the traditional stuff. So don't be alarmed. Right now, it is time for the opening speech. To start us off are my great-grandparents from my mother's side, Masashi-san and Megumi-san---our nakoudo for this wedding."

There was a light round of applause.

Two elder nobles stood to address the room. Masashi talked first. "My wife and I have been married for over 600 years. We have attended many weddings and seen many couples married off. This one, unlike the ones we have seen in the past, is not through arrangement but by choice. And we hope that our Mimi-chan has made a great one."

"The ice sculptures are a symbolic part of this wedding," Megumi continued. "When swans choose their mates, they are fated to be together for the rest of their lives. When their mates die, they never choose another. We, as your great-grandparents, hope that your union is like that of swans---that you will be true to each other and never be apart. We give you our blessing."

Megumi and Masashi sat back down. Takehiko took center stage again. "Our next speakers are my wonderful parents."

Shinichi stood with his wife, who appeared to have been tearing up. He cleared his throat and his eyes landed on Shuuhei. "When Midori was born, I laid a path for her to walk. However, she took a different one that led to Hisagi-san. Although there are things I'm not entirely pleased with, I am glad that I had the chance to see my only daughter marry, a day my wife and I believed we would never see. It tells me that even if she didn't choose my way, she finally matured to the point she resembles the woman I had wanted her to become. Whatever happens in the near future, whether it be the lives of shinigami or parenthood, I wish for only good things to come their way."

"We give them our blessing," Kagami quickly got out before sitting down and grabbing a tissue.

"Our next speakers happen to be members of the Gotei Thirteen, taichou to be exact. May you give your attention to Hitsugaya Toushirou, Komamura Sajin, Kyouraku Shunsui, and Zaraki Kenpachi."

The four taichou assembled and faced the newlyweds. They looked at each other, trying to decide who should speak first. Hitsugaya rolled his eyes, realizing that he was the only one who had prepared his part of the speech. The three must have stayed up all night drinking sake and other things that he had heard from other members within the Gotei Thirteen.

Suddenly, Kyouraku spoke. "I like your uchikake, Midori. It's nice that you thought of us."

The blonde frowned, not understanding what he meant.

Kyouraku's eyes widened. "You don't know what those flowers represent?"

Midori looked down. Lotus flowers, nothing she could remember. Then she stared at marigolds, irises, birds-of-paradises, daffodils, and yarrows. It hit her. They represented Squads Three, Seven, Eight, Ten, and Eleven respectively. Every squad she had been in. And now all the taichou she had served under, with the exception of one, was going to give a speech.

Seeing realization dawn on the bride's face, Kyouraku reached for his hat to do his signature move. However, he remembered that Nanao hadn't allowed him to bring it. He sighed before grinning. "Us four had the pleasure of commanding these two officers. One of them had the honor of working in all of our squads. Because of this, we were there to witness pretty much everything that happened between them."

"We're glad they're finally tying the knot," Zaraki added. "Every time they broke up, they were pain-in-the-asses---" Shinichi's eyes widened at the word "---especially since the bride came over to the dojo a lot and complained any chance she had. You had to wonder why they bothered breaking up and getting back together each time."

Komamura took over. "Hisagi-san and his wife have always been opposites. Diligent and lazy, serious and carefree, cooperative and difficult. But opposites attract. They brought a balance to each other's lives. Plus, only Hisagi-san could get through that thick-head of hers."

"Hisagi-san and his wife are swans," Toushirou concluded. "We and the rest of the Seireitei knew that. It just took them over forty years to realize it themselves. So, on the behalf of the Gotei Thirteen, we wish them the best of luck."

"Aw, that was so sweet of them," Takehiko commented as the taichou took their seats. "They really are swans for life, aren't they? Well, enough with the lovey-dovey stuff. It's time for the newlyweds of the night to cut the cake and have their first dance as a married couple."

Midori and Shuuhei stood and walked together to the center of the room, where the cake stood on a lone table. It was a seven-layered vanilla cake with the smallest layer on top. White and yellow flowers decorated the red icing. Midori looked at the cake, wondering where they should cut. Shuuhei and Midori took a hold of the cake cutter.

"You look beautiful," Shuuhei said quietly. This was his first opportunity to let her know and he seized the moment.

"Thank you," she replied, her eyes quickly shifting in his direction. They chose a place to cut and put the piece of cake onto a plate. Then they each took a fork and proceeded to feed the other. Soon after, the pianist played their song. Shuuhei took Midori's hand and led her into their first dance.

"I've never seen Midori so happy," Ukitake commented.

"Because she's with the most amazing person she ever met," Aya replied.

"This is so romantic," Rangiku cooed.

"I know," Yachiru said. "I can't wait to get married."

"I doubt there's any good men left _to _marry," Nanao muttered.

"I'm a good man," Kyouraku said. "Let's get married, Nanao-chan."

Nanao reached for her glasses, the light reflecting off the lens. "That's not funny."

The music slowed down as the piece neared the end. Shuuhei held his wife a little tighter, wishing he could kiss her. However, he didn't think it was something he should do with her parents and other nobles watching. Midori placed her head on his chest, no longer listening to the music. She listened to the heartbeat within his chest.

"I'll make you the happiest man in the world," she whispered.

"You already have."

* * *

After the toasts, dinner was underway. At least twenty waiters filled the room, dishing out food to the two hundred guests. During the large three-course meal, guests talked among themselves and to the couple of evening. When dinner neared the end, Kagami looked at her daughter. "You need to prepare for another costume change. Shuuhei-san, you might as well come since you have to escort Mimi-chan back into the place."

The three hurried out of the room. Fifteen minutes passed. The bride, who now don a blue kimono, and groom entered the room, receiving the guests' full attention. By then, Takehiko had taken his role of the master of Ceremonies once again. After the couple had seated themselves, Takehiko spoke. "Everyone got dessert? Okay, good. Just checking. Moving on, we're going to try something new. Because a friend of my sister requested it, we will play a little game. Afterwards, we'll do the final speeches, karaoke, and wedding favors. But first, Yohei, bring a chair to the center of the room."

Yohei took a chair. As he passed Nanao, he gave a little wink and smirked at Kyouraku's expression. He placed the chair in the center of the room and beckoned for his sister and brother-in-law to come take their places. Midori sat down and Shuuhei got down on one knee.

Takehiko grinned. "Now, will the unmarried men in the room come to the floor."

Most of the men who weren't married went. The only one who remained in his seat was Byakuya. Rukia frowned. "How come you're not going, nii-sama?"

"I would never participate in such a foolish game," he said, clearly dignified in his choice.

"Now," Takehiko started. "This is how it works. Shuuhei will retrieve the garter under Midori's dress. Then, on my count, Shuuhei will throw it and one of you guys will catch it. Then, after a woman catches the bouquet, the winner will place it on that woman's leg. Got it?"

The men nodded, waiting for Shuuhei to remove the garter. Renji looked over at Rukia, who sitting next to his taichou. He gulped, wondering if the question was worth asking. However, he had to know. "Er, Rukia?" Her violet eyes landed on him. "Are you going to try the bouquet catching thing?"

"What do you think, Abarai?" Byakuya interrupted, giving his fukutaichou a dirty look.

"I see," Renji said, sheepishly turning to the front. Izuru patted his friend on the back.

"Don't worry about it," Izuru said. "You'll get your chance some other time."

"I wasn't asking in the hopes that I would--!" Renji stopped and looked away, his face red. _Don't tell me that's what Rukia's thinking. What if Kuchiki-taichou believes that I was . . . Dammit! I have to explain myself later._

"Hisagi's sure taking his time," Ikkaku commented, watching Shuuhei remove the garter. "I just want him to throw the damn thing."

"If I get it," Yumichika stated. "I hope a beautiful woman catches the bouquet."

"This is going to be bad," Ukitake commented, watching as Shuuhei stood with the garter in his hands.

"Why?" Kyouraku asked, hoping his Nanao-chan would be the bouquet catcher.

"Think about it," Ukitake said, his eyes scanning over the nobles. "We're also competing against shinigami like Zaraki-san and Omaeda-san. I bet most of them will flashstep or cheat somehow."

"One," Takehiko said, starting his counting.

Kyouraku grinned. "I see."

"Two!"

Most of the men readied themselves. It wasn't surprising that only the Shinigami were calmly waiting for the garter to be thrown. Kyouraku smirked at Zaraki, who was standing opposite of him. The man returned the smirk with an excited grin. "We'll just have to try harder to win, Jushirou."

"Three!" And Shuuhei threw the garter over his shoulders.

"Move!" Zaraki shouted and knocked several men out of his way. He could care less about the woman he would have to put this on; he was not willing to lose this battle.

Midori's brown eyes widened as her friends disappeared. _Don't tell me_, she thought. Kyouraku reappeared and reached out for the object. However, Izuru and Renji reappeared next to him and rushed at the taichou. Then Zaraki came running at them. Midori dropped her mouth open as the rest of them appeared, readying themselves for a collision. _They're going to fight over a stupid garter? _There was a crash and a massive pileup on the floor. Suddenly an arm popped up, revealing the garter in his grasp.

"Um," Takehiko said. "I don't know what to say but 'Who has it . . . ?' Seriously, who has the garter?"

Kyouraku got out of the pile. "I almost had it," he muttered, remembering when Zaraki had crashed into him. He looked at the group, watching it disperse until the winner emerged. Ikkaku stood there breathing heavily, the garter in his hand. He smirked as went limping back to his seat, pleased that he beat his taichou at something.

"Okay," Takehiko said. "Next, bouquet throwing."

"Alright," Midori said, getting ready to throw it. "Ladies, we are civilized. There will be no flashstepping, no kido, no other cheating means. We will do this fairly."

"Gotcha!" Yachiru chirped.

"She can't play," Ikkaku muttered.

"There's no rule that says she can't," Yumichika said, taking a sip of his champagne.

Ikkaku was a bit worried. What if somehow, some way, Yachiru caught the garter? It would be bad enough that 200 people would be watching. But then there were members of the Gotei 13 in the room and he would hear about it for days in the Seireitei, possibly weeks. No one would let him live it down.

"On the count of three," Takehiko said. "One, two, three!"

Midori threw the bouquet and turned around to see who caught. She was surprised to see how civilized they were about this. The women stood there and watched to see who hands it landed in. Aya held the flowers, staring at it as if she was confused. Then she tried to give it to someone else.

"Congratulations, Aya," Midori said, before someone could take it from the unwilling receptor,

Ikkaku walked over as Aya took the seat, her face red. "Could've been worst," he muttered under his breath. He got down in front of Aya and took her leg.

"Aw," Midori said loudly. "They make such a cute couple."

Ikkaku face turned red as he put the garter on Aya's calf and started to jerk it up._ At least it's not Yachiru. That would have been humiliating. _As he thought about how lucky he was that it hadn't been Yachiru, he didn't pay attention to exactly how high the garter was on her leg.

"Um, Ikkaku-san," Aya said quietly.

"What is it?" He grunted, hearing someone whistle and then a few snickers in the background.

"I don't think it needs to go any higher."

He realized that was true and quickly withdrew his hands. "Yeah. Of course." He got up and walked over to his table, Aya following right behind him. He took his seat, glanced at the woman, and the looked somewhere else.

_He must hate me_, Aya thought. _I knew I shouldn't have played that game._

"Now that was interesting," Takehiko stated, winking at the third seat. "I bet you had fun, Ikkaku. Next, the speeches and karaoke. Does anyone want to speak, have something important to say?"

"I do!" Rangiku stood with an envelope in her hands. "Shuuhei, Midori, I want to present you with a special gift. It's from me, Kyouraku, Renji, and Nanao." She walked over and handed it to the groom.

Shuuhei opened it and pulled out a key. "What is it for?"

"Well, since it's a special night and all, we got you a lovers' suite at a hotel. We have it set up and everything. Roses, candles, Midori's you-know-what, massage oils, everything to make your night the most memorable experience."

Shinichi nearly spurted out his drink, almost taking it the wrong way. Kagami patted her husband on the back, raising an eyebrow at Rangiku. The fukutaichou grinned.

"Thank you," Shuuhei said, glancing at Midori. His wife looked at him and shrugged. Though she didn't use words, he could tell that she couldn't wait to be alone with him.

* * *

Shuuhei was sitting on the bed, waiting for Midori to come out of the bathroom. He looked around the room, staring at the rose petals on the floor and on the bed. The only light came from candles lit around the room, adding to the amorous atmosphere. He removed his shirt and lied down on the bed, thinking about what they would do. He glanced at the bottle of massaging oil and wondered if they would use it. He could give her a nice massage if she desired one in the morning.

"This wasn't my idea," Midori explained, peeking around the bathroom door. She didn't want to show how the lingerie set looked on her yet. "Rangiku and Aya forced it onto me."

"You didn't have to wear it if you really didn't want to," Shuuhei said.

Midori came out of bathroom. She glanced at the purple-and-black lingerie. Then her brown eyes landed on her husband. "How does it look?"

"Good," he said, watching her walk toward him. She pushed him down on the bed and climbed on top of him. Their lips touched in a passionate kiss. He rolled Midori over, assuming the top position. The two kissed a little longer before Shuuhei pulled away. He kissed her jaw, her neck, all the way down until he reached the lingerie. He stared at the string and pulled it with his teeth. "As. Appealing. As it. Looks. I. Need. It. Off."

Midori watched Shuuhei tug each string, their eyes locked on each other. She didn't know why but she was aroused. Her chest rose and fell as her heartbeat increased, waiting for him to finish. When he was done, he removed the obstructing bra. He came back up and brushed his lips against hers. "Hisagi Midori, huh?" He whispered, supporting himself with one hand while the other one strayed down to her hips, tugging at her panty.

"Sounds nice." Midori wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into another fiery kiss. Although she had made love to him before, this night felt different from all the rest. She didn't hold back anything and she could tell neither did he.

* * *

"Am I supposed to feel this happy?" Midori asked after they finished on a beautiful note. She watched Shuuhei blow out the candles one by one, the room becoming dimmer and dimmer. She was mesmerized by what they did. It felt like every bit of passion had reached every part of her body and soul. It even seemed to go beyond that.

He blew out the last candle and slipped back underneath the covers. Instantly, he pulled her body against his and she eagerly snuggled closer. "What do you mean?" He asked.

She closed her eyes. "I'm just happy. I have no anger, no hatred. I'm not mad at my parents. I don't even think I hate Ichimaru."

"I think the last one's stretching it."

"Maybe," she replied. "But that's how I feel . . . Every dream, every aspiration I thought I wanted doesn't seem important anymore. I thought I wanted to be a taichou, even soutaichou, just so I can change the way things were run. I thought I wanted to take revenge on everyone I believed that wronged me. But now that I lost all that rage, those dreams all seem insignificant."

"So what's important?" he asked her.

"You. The baby. Our future."

"That's it?"

"Protecting everything I know and have," she added.

"That's a silly one." He stroked her cheek gently. "You won't lose me or anything else you love."

Midori smiled, feeling how tired she truly was. "You shouldn't make promises you can't keep."

Shuuhei kissed the top of her head, knowing that sleep was right around the corner. "Trust me, Midori. It's nothing I can't keep."

**A/N: I would have ended with the "I love you" stuff but I thought that would be laying it a bit too thick. At this point, there will be two more chapters left---a real chapter and an epilogue. Why, you wonder. Because 1) one manga chapter a week is kind of slow and 2) I don't want to drag this story out more than necessary. Plus I pretty much feel that I have accomplished the goal of this story. Anyway, thanks to cheeky half-demon, Penelopesays (I had no idea), and Foca. Later.**


	23. Chapter 22: The Inevitable

**A/N: I'm so sorry that it took me so long to post this. I wanted to post this at least a week ago but I feel bad that I didn't. Anyway, I was wondering if this chapter was necessary or should not be posted. You know, one of those deleted chapters the reader wouldn't know about unless the author decides to tell about the chapter. Yeah. But I decided to keep this chappie because it ties this story back to the Bleach storyline. It cover the recent Bleach manga chapters from Midori's POV and goes a little pass what we've seen. Pretty much my idea what would happen after the fights in the living world comes to an end. Nothing too detailed though. So enjoy.**

**CHAPTER 22---The Inevitable:**

It was morning. Shuuhei woke and sat up in bed. He glanced down at Midori and saw that she was still sleeping. This was how it each day was started. He, the early riser, would be the first one up while Midori slept a little longer. He would wake her up but he figured she needed the extra minutes due to her pregnancy. He got out of bed, figuring he might as well start to get ready. Within fifteen minutes, he took a shower, put on his shinigami robes, and started breakfast for two. When the eggs were nearly cooked, Midori emerged from the bedroom. She looked tired, drained, and even on the sick side. Shuuhei frowned.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Morning sickness," she replied, taking a seat by the table. "Don't worry, Shuuhei. It'll pass."

"You sure?" He questioned, wondering if vomiting would follow. "You want tea?" He offered, opening the cabinet to retrieve the teabags.

"Yes. Thank you."

"What kind?"

"Ginger." Midori watched Shuuhei take the kettle and pour the hot water into a mug. He put the teabag in and took out the sugar. Already knowing how many spoonfuls she usually took, Shuuhei preceded to add the usual amount. Then he placed the mug in front of her. Midori thanked him and took a sip. A second later, she was surprised to see breakfast placed in front of her. She took a whiff and found that it smelled delicious. Hell, anything he cooked smelled delicious.

The woman looked over and saw that Shuuhei was putting his breakfast into a container. "You're leaving early," she commented.

"I have a meeting with Yamamoto-soutaichou," he replied. He placed the container into the bag and was ready to go. He walked over and pecked her on the cheek. "I'll see you later, Midori."

"Okay. Bye."

Shuuhei left and Midori glanced down at her plate in thought. The whole Seireitei had been on edge. It was huge contrast with last week's mood, when the wedding had been going on. There was nothing but nervousness in the air; everyone was on their toes for a possible attack. Now there was news that their substitute shinigami ran off into Hueco Mundo to save his friend, Orihime. Not only that, Rukia and Renji ran off to help him. She supposed it was natural; they were friends with Kurosaki after the execution ordeal.

By the time she finished eating, the morning sickness had started to wear off. Midori decided that she should change and at least check in with Toushirou at headquarters. Then she could hang out with Shuuhei.

* * *

_Make it possible to wage war, huh? _Shuuhei thought, pacing around his office. At the meeting, Yamamoto told him and three others about four pillars that needed protection. The pillars were in the world of the living. If he went, he would end up leaving Midori behind. He had to tell her the situation and hoped that she would be cool about it.

He glanced at the clock on the wall and saw it was around noon. _I wonder where Midori is._

There was a knock and Shuuhei stopped pacing. "Come in," he said.

The door opened and closed quickly. Midori leaned against it and frowned slightly. It was clear she was over her nausea but something else was bothering the woman. "Hello," she said, approaching him.

"What's on your mind?" Shuuhei asked.

Midori sat down on his desk. "I've been thinking about the baby."

"Names?" He guessed.

The woman shook her head. "I realized something horrible. The baby might be a second me!" Shuuhei cocked an eyebrow at this 'revelation' but Midori continued her reasoning. "The world can barely handle one me. _I_ doubt that I could handle myself if I had to. Two of me is a bad thing, Shuu. The world can't deal with that."

"Midori, you're not as bad you think you are," Shuuhei stated. "The baby will turn out fine."

"Okay but then what if it's a girl?" Midori asked. "Can you imagine what we would have to go through? I know the kinds of men who live here and they all want one thing."

Shuuhei had not thought that far ahead but could now see what Midori meant. However that wouldn't be for a long time, he reassured himself. He took hold of his wife's hands and squeezed them. "You're worrying about nothing, Midori," he told her, pecking her on the lips.

"Yeah, until she develops a few curves here and there and men start checking her out---!"

Before she could get another word out, Shuuhei kissed her fully on the lips. He leaned in closer, receiving a positive response from Midori. She tried to get her hands free but he held them tight in his. No way was he going to let this escalate in a public office.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. They straightened themselves out before Shuuhei told the person to come in. The door opened and Ikkaku strolled in, Yumichika and Izuru right behind him. He eyed the woman before grinning. "Trying to get some before we go, Hisagi?"

"Go where?" She asked, turning to face Shuuhei.

"You didn't tell her?" Yumichika asked.

"I was going to," Shuuhei admitted, staring at Midori.

"What's going on?" Midori asked, obviously the only person in the dark. Was it a mission? About what? She was certain it had to be important. Why else would Yamamoto send four of his strongest men out of the much-needed-protecting Seireitei? "Yamamoto's not sending you to Hueco Mundo, is he?"

"No," Shuuhei replied. "We're going to the human world."

"What for?"

"We have to protect these pillars from getting destroyed," the fukutaichou explained. "The pillars were created to replace the real Karakura Town with a fake one. As long as the towers are intact, the town will remain here."

"Unless they're destroyed, right?" Midori asked.

"Right."

"And that's why Yamamoto's sending you there. So it won't happen."

"Right."

"So, um, there's no way for you to get out of this?"

Shuuhei raised an eyebrow; Midori looked away in a sheepish manner. There was a momentary silence before Shuuhei said, "You're not going to beat me up, are you?"

Midori gave him a dirty look. "No." Ikkaku snorted in the background and the blonde instantly turned on him. "What?"

The bald man shook his head, amused by Shuuhei's understandable question. "Nothing," he lied.

Shuuhei rolled his eyes and looked back at his wife. To grab her attention, he took hold of her shoulders. Their eyes met. "I'll be fine, Midori."

"And if you're not?" She insisted.

"You're forgetting he's with us," Ikkaku said.

"Don't worry," Izuru added. "Nothing will happen to him."

"Honestly," Yumichika said. "You should have more faith in us."

"But what if---!"

"Can you leave us alone for a bit?" Shuuhei asked his fellow shinigami, cutting Midori off.

"Five minutes," Ikkaku said, as he followed Izuru and Yumichika out the door.

Shuuhei nodded. Finally, the door closed and Shuuhei focused on his anxious wife.

* * *

Promises were gold only if one could keep them or had enough luck to do the job right. Midori knew that more than anyone else as she stared out the hospital window at the sunset. Nightfall was closing in; what was the status of the Seireitei? Near chaos. Four taichou were still somewhere in Hueco Mundo, three were still fighting, and three were in the hospital, getting their injuries taken care of. Most of the fukutaichou --- with the exception of those in Hueco Mundo, Izuru, Omaeda, Yumichika, and Nanao --- were no better off, with Rangiku and Momo in critical condition. And there was the acting fukutaichou, Hisagi Shuuhei, who was injured but alive nonetheless. Midori was grateful for that but she was worried about what would come in the next hour or so.

Midori looked at her husband, who was lying on the hospital bed. Her eyes glanced at the bandages that wrapped around his head and torso. She felt bad; he was in pain and he was still worrying about her, out of all people. She knew just by the look in his eyes. Apparently, he had been watching her facial expressions change.

"What's on your mind?" he finally asked, trying to sit up but cringed in pain. Some of his ribs had been broken when that monstrous creature had crushed him. He knew he shouldn't be moving yet but it was a pain not to move.

The woman sighed and replied, "The outcomes, none of them good. I have a feeling Aizen is going to arrive soon."

"That would mean he defeated Yamamoto-soutaichou."

"I know." The whole time she had tried reasoning out the very possibility. Yamamoto was the strongest the Gotei had to offer. Aizen was strong too. In addition to his current strength, Aizen had the Houkyoukou. Why else would Ichimaru and Tousen follow the man? Not only that, the former Squad Five taichou also ordered Arrancar that were evenly matched with the taichou and the fukutaichou. He wouldn't make his attack this soon unless he was could defeat the soutaichou, the only man in his way. That was inevitable.

Her instincts were saying that Aizen, Ichimaru, and Tousen were close. All the happiness she had for the last few weeks were dissipating; the anger was rising from the depths of her heart once again. The whole time she believed she changed. Now it was evident that she had been smothering a part of herself, nothing more.

She looked back out the window. Twelve stories below, she could see foot soldiers patrolling the area for Arrancar. She doubted that they would be a match for any that popped up. And if Aizen showed up, the foot soldiers and the rest of the Seireitei were screwed. Were there any capable fighters left?

"Are you thinking about fighting, Midori?" Shuuhei asked.

The woman stared at him, not sure if she should answer. Then again, there was no need; he knew her thoughts far too well and the answer was clear. She didn't believe there were other choices.

The door opened and Izuru walked in. He looked at his friend on the hospital bed. "How you're doing Shuuhei?"

"I'm alright," Shuuhei replied. "And everyone else?"

Izuru sighed. "Better I guess."

The door opened again. Nanao walked in, Omaeda following behind her. Omaeda looked around the room. "This is all the strongest left in the Seireitei?"

Midori looked at the fukutaichou. "Oh? You're including yourself?"

"Watch yourself, Misagi!"

Nanao frowned. "Misagi?"

Izuru chuckled. "Yachiru made it up. It's Midori and Hisagi smashed together. That way we can distinguish her and Shuuhei."

"Whatever," Midori said, her eyes clouding up. "We have bigger issues here. If Aizen defeats Yamamoto and comes here, which he inevitably will, what do we do? Do we _try _to stop him or---!"

"Of course we stop him!" Omaeda interrupted, clearly missing the key part of her question.

The blonde woman narrowed her eyes. "You're that strong, Omaeda?"

"And you think you're stronger?!"

"She has bankai," Nanao stated, her eyes on her friend. "Don't you, Midori?"

Midori's eyes widened. "You know?"

"Well, it was a hunch of Kyouraku's but your response proves it."

Izuru looked at the blonde woman, who was clearly annoyed that she had been tricked. Besides him and Omaeda, everyone seemed to be aware of this fact. After mulling it over, the man frowned. "How come you never said anything?" He asked. "You could have been---!"

"I'm not the only one who keeps their mouth shut," Midori said, her mind on Ikkaku. "And I told myself that if I became a taichou, it would be because I defeated one. Besides being a taichou is not that big of a deal," she added, dismissing the topic. "I'm waiting for a report on the current situation."

"That is more important," Nanao agreed.

There was quiet at they reflected the situation in their own minds. After a while, the silence became uncomfortable. Izuru was the first to pull himself out of it.

"I'm going to check on Momo," Izuru announced before exiting the room.

"We better leave too," Nanao said, eying Squad Nine fukutaichou. "Come on, Omaeda-san." The man snorted, feeling a bit inferior now. They too left.

Midori sighed, once again alone with Shuuhei in a room filled of so much tension. She readjusted her position on the windowsill, putting one foot on the ground to keep her balance. She looked out at the Seireitei, her eyebrows furrowed in worry. _Is this how it ends? _She heard the bed creak and abruptly turned around. Shuuhei was forcing himself to sit up despite his ribs. "Shuuhei, don't."

Shuuhei didn't say anything. In a minute, he was attempting to get out of bed. He limped toward her. Midori stared horrified at first before she rushed to him. She was surprised that he leaned against her, his arms over her shoulders and his head next to hers.

"What's the point of throwing away your life?" He asked her.

" . . . I told you a long time ago, that if the frontline fell, I would fight."

"Yeah but you're not the only one who will be pulled into this battle."

"Well, if I don't do anything, I suppose Aizen will spare me," she muttered sarcastically, her tone dark.

"Midori," Shuuhei groaned. "Get it out of your head."

The door opened and a shinigami ran in. "Sirs, a report from the human world! Yamamoto's been . . . Am I interrupting something?"

"No, you're not . . ." Midori's voice trailed off; horror passed over her. She knew that Shuuhei had sensed it too for his body went rigid. Even the subordinate looked terrified and he had every right to be. That was Aizen's spiritual pressure the whole Seireitei felt. She already knew what the subordinate want to say. Yamamoto was down and out for the count.

"Don't," Shuuhei mumbled.

Midori saw Izuru come through the door and flashstepped away from Shuuhei. Shuuhei stumbled forward but Izuru reached the man in a second; he threw Shuuhei's arm around his neck and supported him. "Why'd you do that?!" Izuru exclaimed.

"Because I knew that you would catch him, that's why!" Midori retorted as she headed for the window. She climbed onto the windowsill and looked down below.

"Where you're going?" Izuru asked.

"I'm going to stall Aizen," she said, gulping at the idea. She hesitated and glanced over her shoulder at Shuuhei. "I'll come back," she said.

Shuuhei hung his head. "You better," he muttered in defeat.

The third seat nodded and jumped out the window. Once her feet touch the ground, she took off running toward the spiritual pressure. She tried to come up with a plan, a way to stall him long enough for someone powerful enough to take down the man. However, she couldn't focus on that particular task. She was worried about everything else. She worried about the Seireitei, if Aizen would take over, if everyone she loved and cared for would die.

_Am I doing this for revenge? _She asked herself. _To protect everyone? Or is this just for my satisfaction? What is there to gain from this? _The closer she got, the more she questioned her motives.

She turned around a corner, sensing that her target was no more than three hundred yards away. She kept going, determined to end this. She was sure that Aizen was aware of her presence by now. A hundred yards away and the woman stopped. The person had stopped moving.

_He's waiting for me_, she thought nervously. She turned the last corner and saw Aizen thirty feet away, smiling in her direction. Her mouth twitched as Midori took in his new appearance. His slicked back hair, his new clothes, his new air of superiority. These were all new but the change in her eyes caught her attention the most. They were neither kind nor full of sympathy. Each one held a mischievous gleam, signaling his evil intent.

"Aizen," she said aloud, trying to convince herself who this man was.

"So you're the first one to try to stop me here."

_And die_, she added in her head. Her mind went to her unborn child and she cringed.

"What's wrong, Midori?"

Midori narrowed her brown eyes, her heart thumping louder. "What do you mean?"

"By now, you would have attacked me. I guess marrying Hisagi made you less _reckless_."

Midori gulped as her eyes landed on his zanpakutou. "How did you know?" she asked.

"What else is that ring for?"

Midori glanced down quickly at her left hand, catching a glimpse of her wedding band. Her eyes flickered back to Aizen, who had not stirred from his spot. Her right hand involuntarily reached for her ring and touched it. She thought of Shuuhei and wondered how pissed off he would be when she returned. _If_ she returned.

"No," Aizen suddenly said, stepping forward. "That wouldn't make sense. I destroyed a part of your life and you know it. You're one of the most vengeful people but you're not attacking me. Something is holding you back---"

"Isn't there, Midori?" Aizen's voice was suddenly by her ear. In that instant, Midori realized that the Aizen in front of her was nothing more than an illusion. The real Aizen stood behind her, unsheathing his weapon. She gasped and attempted to get away. However, she felt his blade tear through her shoulder. Though the pain was excruciating, she was happy it was a mere shoulder wound.

"Are you stalling for someone more powerful to step up?" He smirked as his illusion disappeared. "I let you know how naïve the idea is. There is not a single being powerful enough to defeat me."

"How are you so sure?" Midori challenged, backing up a bit.

"A long time ago you wanted to be soutaichou because it was the most powerful position," Aizen said, slowly approaching her. "I'm sure you know that I defeated Yamamoto not too long ago."

Midori narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists. She hated that Aizen had a point. Was there anyone stronger than the soutaichou himself, who could rise to the old man's level and surpass it? She was going to die soon; she could feel it. But she would not run away for there was no point.

She unsheathed her zanpakutou and it automatically unsealed itself. Once the black ribbon wrapped around her forearm, she cried, "Kinzoku Raimitsu!"

Midori knew it was foolish to believe that her willpower would help her live through this, to dream that a brighter dawn was around the corner, to hope that her future was still feasible. Yet she did all these things anyway. Now she realized why she wanted to come here so bad. It was for closure, to finally disconnect herself from the weights of her past.

Though storm clouds were overhead, there was no rain to fall. There was never rain to fall.

**A/N: I decided to stop there because it is obvious who would win. I know that it will come down to Ichigo and Aizen. It **_**should **_**come down to those two facing off. As powerful as Yamamoto is, Aizen would only wage war so early if he could take the old man down. And I think the final battleground would have to be the Soul Society. A final showdown in the fake Karakura Town doesn't seem climatic enough. Though I am wondering if Kubo Tite would have Squad Zero play a role in the end! The final next post will be the epilogue! Woot! Then I'm finished. Thanks to cheeky half-demon, I'llxBexUrxEnigma2010, and Megumi Yunai for reviewing and to those who added this story (or me) to their favorites/alerts list. For those who care, there is a poll on my profile for what story I should do next. It's between an old one and two new ones. The summaries for the two new ones are on my profile as well. If you have an opinion, then vote. That's it for now. Till later.**

**A/N-2: Rereading and editing this story months since it ended, I guess I should say that this chapter was done around the time manga chapter 349 came out. A lot has happened in the manga since then which is why some of the things here were assumed and probably won't happened themselves. :) I'm eagerly awaiting the conclusion of BLEACH. Now that Ichigo has arrived to the fake Karakura town, I'm sure things will only get more epic. 1/5/10**


	24. Chapter Epilogue

**A/N: I'm sorry that I haven't updated this story in over a month. That was bad of me. But I've been distracted plus I didn't know how to start this so I ended up working at a slow pace. This chapter takes place about three years after the end of the previous chapter. I know. Big time skip. So what happened since then? Read and enjoy.**

**PASSION AND ASPIRATIONS  
****CHAPTER EPILOGUE:**

Rangiku left the Seireitei prison and started for Squad Eleven Headquarters. She had just finished visiting Ichimaru. Once again, they had talked about as much as the permitted hour gave them. Each day, the woman learned something new about the mysterious man who had left her in the dark. Yesterday, she had learned why he did what he had done. Gin had shared his reasons so she could see the change in him. Before that, she had learned about the incident between Midori and him. He shared that secret so Rangiku could tell Midori he was sorry for him. What was today's confession? She had learned that he loved her deeply.

What would people call it? Tainted? Unethical? Gin was a man of many sins but she realized that she could care less about that. She was more concern whether it was right to fall for a man like him. She loved him but was it okay to express such a thing? Gin still had many years to pay for his crimes and by the time he got out . . . Who was she kidding? She could wait. Midori had waited years before she resolved her issues with Shuuhei. It would be hard thing to do but it wasn't impossible. Nothing ever was.

Rangiku looked and spotted a familiar someone up ahead.

"Ah, Aya!" She waved.

The brunette turned around. "Hi, Rangiku-san."

"What are you doing here?" Rangiku asked. The last time Aya had visited the Seireitei was months ago.

"I'm looking for Squad Eleven Headquarters but I can't find it," she admitted sheepishly.

"Oh, came to see little Sorako?"

"That's part of the reason I'm here," Aya replied, blushing a bit. Her mind obviously had other things on it. Or better yet, another person.

"Then let's go!" Rangiku cried enthusiastically and grabbed Aya by the arm. Then she started leading the way.

"The Seireitei looks so much better now," Aya commented as the two women walked.

"Surprising, huh? After Ichigo and Aizen fought, I thought this place would still be in shambles."

Aya could remember the day when the Seireitei had been shaken up. The Rukongai had only felt the repercussions but this was where the action had taken place. Aya had been there, coming to check in on her friends. If she had arrived a second sooner, Midori would have been dead. If Ichigo hadn't arrived in the next few minutes after that, they would have been dead for Aizen's kido skills clearly outmatched hers.

Ichigo.

The substitute shinigami was unlike any Aya had ever seen. She had never thought she would see such a powerful being in her life. Despite his raw power and natural talent, the young man had decided to continue his life in the world of the living. But if the Gotei Thirteen needed help any time soon, the boy would return. She knew he would. After all being a shinigami was a part of him.

"We're here!" Rangiku announced. She grinned at Aya and opened the dojo door. The busty woman was about to say her flamboyant greeting when she noticed that Midori and Ikkaku were sparring. Everyone else in the room -- Shuuhei, Yumichika, and a tiny child -- was watching.

"Mommy, mommy, mommy!"

Aya looked at the tiny chanting child who was sitting next to Shuuhei. The little girl had short dark hair and crystal blue eyes, a near image of her father. Aya had assumed that because the child resembled her father, she would probably act like her mother. So far, the child had never shown such a side.

Yumichika looked at the two women at the door. "Hey, Rangiku, Aya."

"Oh, hi," Shuuhei said. His daughter wanted to see the new arrivals. However, a successful blow by Ikkaku kept her eyes on the fight. "You can do it, mommy!"

"Hello, boys," Rangiku said. "See that they're at it again," she commented, nodding toward Midori and Ikkaku.

Aya looked at the two fighting. They were oblivious to their presence, too intent on who would knock the other out. She was hoping they would stop soon before one of them broke a wall or something. She didn't believe the Squad Eleven taichou would appreciate another hole unless_ he_ was the one responsible.

"One of them is bound to screw up soon," Shuuhei said.

A second later, the child finally turned to see who her father was talking to. The little girl saw the two women and grinned. Immediately, the child got up and ran to them. "Auntie Ran, Auntie Aya!"

"Yes, Sorako-chan," Rangiku said, her arms outstretched to the child. "Come to auntie." She scooped up the child and swung her around. The child giggled.

"She's more adorable than last time," Aya commented.

Sorako looked around and pouted. "Where Uncle Renji?"

"Renji's on a trip but he'll be back soon," Rangiku said. After Rukia had stayed in the world of the living for three years, the redhead finally decided to go get her back. It was a pity she wasn't there to see how that would turn out, considering the rumors of Ichigo and Rukia hooking up, rumors that bothered Byakuya like crazy. Though there was no proof of such a relationship, Renji had not wanted to take any chances and left. _Typical male_, Rangiku thought. _Always at the last minute._

"Why?" Sorako asked.

"Don't worry," Rangiku said, spinning the child around with her again. "You have me!"

Despite how dizzy she was getting, Sorako laughed happily.

Ikkaku heard laughter and turned around. His eyes landed on Aya. He was surprised to see her here out of all places and couldn't help but wonder why she had shown up. Midori, seeing her opportunity flash before her brown eyes, punched him in the jaw. The man flew across the room. Aya, sensing what would happen, put up a barrier and stopped Ikkaku from crashing into the wall.

"Finally," Yumichika said. How long had the fight been going on? Twenty minutes straight. He was beginning to wonder where his friends got all that energy from. Perhaps their love for a good fight had something to do with it. That was understandable; Ikkaku was part of Squad Eleven and although Midori was currently on Squad Ten, she had been part of the same squad in the past.

Midori wiped a hand across her forehead and glanced over at the small gathering. She waved at Aya and Rangiku, ignoring a fuming Ikkaku completely. "Oh, hi, Aya. How are you? Haven't seen you for a while." Her brown eyes then settled on her fukutaichou, preparing herself for unwanted news. "Does Hitsugaya want me or something, Rangiku?"

"Nope," the fukutaichou replied, finally setting the child down. She watched the child scampered to her mother. "Aya wanted to come so I tagged along."

Midori picked up Sorako and settled her on her hip. "I see," Midori said before focusing on her child. Her voice changed into a cooing one. "Didn't mommy tell you she was going to win?" She playfully asked the child, rubbing their noses together, a grin on both their faces. "Mommy, was right, wasn't she?"

"I got distracted!" Ikkaku finally yelled, getting off the floor. He had thought Midori would have let the victory go by without a comment but she hadn't. Typical Midori.

Midori raised an eyebrow. "By who? Rangiku and Aya? Since when women were your bane?"

"Only Aya," Yumichika said in a sing-song voice. Ikkaku gave the pretty man a dirty look and the fifth seat shrugged.

"What does that mean?" Midori asked, slightly confused by Yumichika's comment.

"None of your business," Ikkaku said before looking at Aya. "And why are you here anyway?"

"Don't talk to Aya like that!" The third seat yelled. There was no way Ikkaku was going to talk to her friend like that and get away with it. Just because he was a sore loser was no excuse. "Apologize to her!"

"It's okay, Midori," Aya said quietly. Her face was red out of embarrassment. She hadn't expected so much attention. In fact, she had hoped she would go by unnoticed. Apparently that was not the case. Now Ikkaku and Midori was arguing. "You don't have to be concerned," she added in the hopes of calming down the woman.

"See?!" Ikkaku exclaimed. "Aya doesn't mind!"

"Are you really _that _stupid?!"

"Maybe you should calm down," Shuuhei told his wife.

"I'm not calming down until he apologizes!"

"I don't have to listen to you, Midori!"

"If you know what's good for you, Ikkaku, you'll---!"

Sorako tugged on her mother's shinigami robes. "Are you mad, mommy?"

Midori glanced at her child. Sorako's little eyebrows were furrowed, her eyes filled with concern, as she stared at the woman. _Calm down_, Midori told herself with a sigh. "Mommy's not mad, Sorako. Ikkaku's just being an idiot."

Ikkaku snorted and walked away. "Whatever, Midori," he said as he approached the group. He looked at them all before staring at Aya. When she looked at him, he averted his gaze. "Sorry," he mumbled, scratching the back of his head.

Aya glanced at the floor, feeling her face turn red. "It's okay, Ikkaku," she said quietly.

"Really, I'm sorry," he repeated. He could feel several pairs of eyes on him and suddenly felt uncomfortable. "You came to see me, right?" He asked, his voice a little quieter than usual.

Aya slowly nodded.

"Come on then," he said, taking her hand and leading her out of the dojo.

"What's up with them?" Midori asked, adjusting Sorako in her arms.

"You honestly don't know?" Yumichika said in disbelief. "And I thought it was obvious by now."

Rangiku giggled and Shuuhei grinned. Yumichika looked away, containing his laughter well. Only Midori seemed confused as she readjusted Sorako in her arms. "What are you talking about?"

* * *

"Why didn't I see it before?" Midori said to Shuuhei as they headed home. The two were walking side by side as Sorako skipped ahead, collecting flowers. "I knew she was acting a bit weird but I never thought that she and Ikkaku would be . . . If I had known _that _would be the result of the garter-bouquet thing, I would never had thrown the bouquet at Aya. How did I not see that coming?"

"It's not the most obvious thing in the world," Shuuhei commented. "Even if Yumichika believes it is."

"Can you she even _handle _someone as rough as Ikkaku?"

"Aya can," Shuuhei said. "She has a lot of patience and kindness."

"So?"

"So Ikkaku would feel guilty if he hurts her and therefore he would try to be better for her," he explained.

The blonde woman rolled her eyes at the mere idea. "I have yet to see that."

"You will," he said. "But let's talk about us for a bit." Shuuhei wrapped his arms around his wife and pulled her to his side. Before she could ask him what he meant, he kissed her on the cheek. Seeing that she had been caught off guard, he then whispered in husky voice, "If you want, I can run a hot bubble bath for you and give you a massage when we get home."

"Sorako remember?" Midori reminded him, her face red.

"I mean tonight, when Sorako's well asleep," he replied.

Sorako hopped back to them, carrying a bunch of flowers in her hands. She plucked one out of the bunch and proudly showed it to her parents. "Look! A daffodil! It's um . . . Um . . . Squad . . . Ten's flower, right? Your squad, mommy?"

Midori grinned and picked the child. "You're so smart, Sorako-chan," she said, taking the flower and placing it behind the child's ear.

"I get it from daddy," Sorako beamed, her smile exactly like her mother's.

Midori frowned while Shuuhei silently chuckled. "Who told you that?" She asked.

"Uncle Shunsui!"

Midori's eyes twitched. "Oh really?" She raised an eyebrow, hoping Kyouraku didn't run into them anytime soon. "Well, he just lost his uncle status."

"You not going to hurt him are you?" Sorako asked. She was deeply concerned for the wellbeing of her favorite uncle.

"No," Midori said. She had believed Shuuhei was the only person able to keep her in check, out of trouble, and from being an idiot. However, ever since the day Sorako had been born, the little girl had been capable of doing the same. The girl was her bane, inheriting every good quality from the man she had married.

"Promise?" Sorako asked, sticking out her pinky.

Midori smiled and linked her pinky with the smaller one. "I promise."

- - - - - - - - - -

Later that night, Midori closed the storybook and glanced at Sorako, who was sound asleep. Who knew such a pointless story would be so effective on children? The very effective book was from the world of the living. It was some story about a dumb girl who broke into a house, ate three bowls of porridge, and then got chased out by bears. Though Midori had found the story annoying, Sorako loved it very much. For that reason alone, Midori kept rereading the tale every night.

She kissed her daughter's forehead, put the book on the bookshelf, and left the room, closing the door behind her. Then she headed down the hallway and opened the bathroom door. Shuuhei was already inside, topless, checking the temperature of the water. On the surface of the water were bubbles; by the side of the tub was massaging oil.

Midori closed the door behind her. "Sorako's finally sleeping," she said, reaching for her obi.

"That means we have some time to ourselves," he said. His eyes were initially on his wife but once the robe started to cascade down her body, his eyes looked at the floor.

"What's wrong?" Midori asked, approaching the man.

"Nothing," he said, trying not to look at her. "Just resisting temptation."

"Suit yourself," she said. She walked passed him and settled into the tub full of bubbles, picking up the peach aroma. Taking a deep breath, she slid further into the tub.

Shuuhei turned around and reached for the bottle of massaging oil. "How do you want to start this?"

Midori looked at him and then at the water. She scooted up a bit, leaving a space in the back of her. "Instead of giving me a massage, do you want to come in?"

"You sure?" He asked, standing up. He noticed how the bubbles covered his wife's vitals and found himself yearning for physical contact. _So much for no temptation. _When she nodded, he quickly removed his hakama and climbed into the tub. Midori came back some more and leaned against his body. He wrapped his arms around her waist and planted kisses on her neck.

"Midori, remember when you said that you wouldn't be a good mother?" He asked, recalling what she had said a long time ago. He held her even tighter in his strong arms. "Do you still think that now?"

"I like being a mom," she replied. "I know I'm not perfect but I want to give Sorako a happy childhood. She's the best thing that happened to us."

"So you no longer think you're a bad mom?" He asked, brushing his lips against her shoulder.

"Her first word wasn't a curse, right?"

"If that's how we're basing this," he stated. "But I always knew you'd be a good mom in the first place."

"And I always knew you would make a good father," Midori said.

" . . . Mimi?" It was at times like this, when his voice was full of hunger, that the woman didn't care that her nickname was used. The sound of his lust-filled voice was all that she wanted to hear.

Midori turned around and kissed him fully on the lips. Her body suddenly on fire, she wrapped her arms around his neck and gripped his hair. She moved away to catch her breath but Shuuhei quickly pulled her back in. His hands passed over her body, leaving a blazing trial behind. When was the last time they had done this? Midori didn't know and no longer cared. She was reveling in the moment, finding pleasure in each of his ministrations. She gasped when his hand strayed between her thighs.

"Shuu, I . . ." What did she want? She didn't know anymore. The euphoria was unbearable and soon she wouldn't be able to contain herself any longer. Not when everything felt so good.

Shuuhei knew that as well and stopped immediately what he had been doing.

"That's enough for one night," he said, breathing heavily. If they had continued, it would have escalated into something else. No doubt it would have been more enjoyable but the man was not up to re-explaining the baby-delivering-stork story to Sorako again.

"I guess," Midori agreed, her chest heaving up and down. Their anniversary was next week. Sorako would be in Aya's care then and the two of them would go spend the night somewhere romantic. They could wait. "Let's get ready for bed," she suggested.

* * *

Lights out, Midori and Shuuhei were cuddling underneath the sheets when someone knocked on the door. Midori sat up, slightly grumpy that sleep almost had her. Sensing the tiny spiritual pressure on the other side of the door, the woman frowned. "Sorako, what's wrong?"

The door opened a bit and Sorako peeked through. "Mommy, Daddy?"

"Come in."

Sorako walked in and climbed onto the bed. Then she fit into whatever small space was between her parents. "I had a nightmare," she whispered.

"About what?" Shuuhei asked, rolling onto his side and looking at his daughter.

"There was that giant monster and you and mommy had to fight it and it attacked you and then you didn't get back up. It was scary."

Shuuhei glanced at Midori and saw that she understood the root of that dream. A few days ago during a visit to the Rukongai, a hollow had appeared. Unfortunately Sorako had been there and had to witness the fight that took place. Such times made it difficult to separate the duties of a soul reaper from those of a parent. There were several things that they felt they should share with the child but couldn't. One example was death. Though death was part of being a soul reaper, the two parents didn't know how to put the concept in a way that Sorako would understand.

"You were there in the dream too, right, Sorako?" Midori asked.

The girl nodded slowly.

"Then we would have gotten back up," she said, trying to reassure her daughter.

"You wouldn't be scared?"

"We would," Shuuhei said. "But we would be brave enough to protect you."

"Because you and mommy are soul reapers?"

"Not necessarily. When there's something you want to protect, you won't hesitate to defend it. You can be as brave as you need to be."

"Really?"

"Really," Shuuhei promised.

"Even me?"

"Even you."

Midori brought the covers over Sorako, figuring that their daughter might want to sleep in their room tonight. The woman knew what Shuuhei meant. When one was passionate about something, when they truly believed in it, one was willing to go to great lengths to achieve it. Aspirations were a driving force and if one did not know what they want, they would get nothing. What had Midori wanted in the beginning of this? The way everything should have been or at least the way she wanted things to be.

"Goodnight mommy, daddy."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Sorako."

Nowadays, Midori knew she had everything she would ever need.

**A/N: Woot! It's over. I'm done. I feel proud of myself. After rereading parts of the story, I realized that I should probably go back and fix my mistakes. But for now, I'm too lazy. And the beginning of the chapter, I like Rangiku and Gin as a couple. I know someone of you hate him and chapter 5 didn't help but I like him as an evil character. His manipulative personality and mocking tendencies are what I love. **

**Anyway, thanks for reading this story to the end. I really appreciate it. It made feel like this story is not for naught. And thanks to cheeky half-demon and I'llxBexUrxEnigma2010 for reviewing the last chapter. Future plans? I am going to start up FMA again and try Fruits Basket as well. I'm also considering a UlquiorraxOrihime one-shot. Don't know about it yet. That's it. Peace! :)**


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